Ala. man pleads guilty for role in New Kensington motorcyclist's death

Rich Cholodofsky, Tribune-Review, Greensburg, Pa.
·2 min read

Jul. 17—An Alabama man who pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide on Monday told the surviving family members of 71-year Martin Stephen Susa of New Kensington that he couldn't explain his actions leading up to the man's death.

"I've never come close to hurting anyone with a vehicle or anything else. You can count on one hand the number of tickets I've gotten. This was a bad lack of judgement on my part and I am really sorry," said Jim Adamson 60, of Goodwater, Ala, as he pleaded guilty to a felony count of homicide by vehicle.

Susa was out riding his motorcycle after day's work as an electrical engineer and had stopped for a traffic light at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Seventh Street in New Kensington on Sept. 28, 2021, when he was hit by Adamson's pickup, police said.

The front bumper of Adamson's truck hit the bike's rear wheel and threw Susa from the motorcycle, authorities said. He later died from his injuries.

Police claimed Adamson was looking at a cell phone at the time of the crash and told investigators he believed the traffic light was green as he approached the intersection and thought Susa's motorcycle had sped up after he heard it engage its engine.

According to court records, Adamson said he was in western Pennsylvania for a construction job in Vandergrift and was using the GPS feature on his cell phone at the time of the crash.

In addition to homicide by vehicle, Adamson pleaded guilty to summary traffic offenses of careless driving and failure to stop at a red signal.

Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge Scott Mears ordered Adamson to serve two years on probation, including nine months of house arrest that he he will serve back home in Alabama.

Susa's sister and daughter told the judge they consented to the plea deal that was finalized on Monday.

"I feel like justice was served. He clearly wasn't malicious," said Susa's sister, Stefanie Smith of Texas.

Daughter Natasha Susa said of her father, "We're going to miss him. He was a hard worker and a good man."

Rich Cholodofsky is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Rich by email at rcholodofsky@triblive.com or via Twitter .