Guilty plea in deadly Pa. crash

WEST CHESTER, Pa. - July 31, 2009 Twenty-two-year-old Johnnie Bowden Jr. of Kennett Square entered an open guilty plea Thursday and will be sentenced later. He was charged with homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence, DUI, accident involving death while not properly licensed and fleeing or attempting to elude an officer.

Police said Bowden was high on marijuana and driving without a license on Oct. 2 when an officer tried to pull him over in Chester County for expired registration. Authorities say an officer approached the car but it pulled out suddenly, forcing the officer to move out of the way to avoid being struck, and the car crashed soon afterward.

Bowden's front-seat passenger, Matthew Lee, was pronounced dead on arrival at Christiana Hospital.

---

Information from: Daily Local News

Copyright © 2024 WPVI-TV. All Rights Reserved.