On Friday, police charged James R. Parthemer, 21, of 230 Davis Street, Blossburg, with a third-degree felony count of accidents involving death or personal injury, and summary counts of careless driving, duty to give information and render aid, and immediate notice of accident.
He was released on $20,000 bail following a hearing before Magisterial District Judge James Carlson in Mansfield Friday, May 12.
When a photographer from this paper attempted to get his photo after the hearing, Parthemer eluded those attempts and was spotted laughing as he was driven away from the court by an unidentified woman, who also was at the hearing.
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| Is this the same James R. Parthemer that killed a woman and her horse, drove away and never called police? |
Barbara J. Vroman, 59, Roaring Branch, was walking her horse on the southern end of Main Street between Liberty and Nevin streets when she and then the horse were struck from behind by a pickup at about 7:15 p.m., according to Blossburg police. The driver of the truck did not stop, police report.
Police were dispatched to the scene at 7:22 p.m.
Vroman was taking the horse to her and her husband's home in Roaring Branch, about 10 miles from Blossburg, according to Blossburg Police Cpl. Joshua McCurdy.
Vroman was pronounced dead an hour later at Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hospital, Wellsboro. The horse also sustained injuries and was pronounced dead the following morning after being taken to a veterinary clinic in Troy.
The day after the crash, Blossburg police discovered a 1989 Chevrolet pickup truck with damage consistent with an accident. They also report finding several hairs matching those from the horse.
At the time, Regina Burton was identified as the owner of the truck. However, Burton told police that she did not have possession of the vehicle when the incident occurred.
Parthemer, Burton's boyfriend, was later identified as the driver of the vehicle.
According to police records, Parthemer believed that he had hit the curb and that at the time of the accident he was checking the gauges on the car and adjusting the heat.
He also claims he did not see Vroman or the horse.
If it were truly an accident? why didn't he stop? I can take a guess - he was drinking, or he didn't have a license or the vehicle didn't have insurance or he was on probation for something.
Asked why stiffer charges, such as homicide by vehicle or vehicular manslaughter were not filed, Tioga County Assistant District Attorney George Wheeler said: "We filed the charges that we believe are supported by the evidence.”
This gets them a "bad DA/judge" tag for the article.
The statutory maximum for the felony count of accidents involving death or personal injury is up to seven years and the minimum mandatory is one year.
Update to story:
James Parthemer, who pleaded no contest in October to a charge of leaving the scene of an accident involving death, was sentenced in the Tioga County Court of Common Pleas this week to one to three years in the state correctional system.
(Tioga Publishing - May 19, 2006)
