Jury selection set for next month in homicide by vehicle case

Mar. 6—SUNBURY — A Shenandoah man accused of causing the accident that killed Kaylee V. Pukiewicz is set for jury selection next month.

Christopher Weston, 39, will appear for jury selection at 9:15 a.m. April 12 in front of Northumberland County President Judge Charles Saylor. The judge originally wanted to continue the hearing until May to allow the defense more time to go over the evidence with experts but Weston, via videoconference, convinced Saylor to keep it in April.

Defense attorney Michael O'Donnell told Saylor that they didn't yet have the experts and funds approved by the court for crash scene investigation and impairment. Saylor asked him to submit a brief with names of experts and costs associated. Saylor wanted to postpone the jury selection.

Weston then spoke up, asking whether the delay would count against him. He said counting it against the defense was not fair when O'Donnell told the judge he would be ready for trial.

"I'm being realistic," said Saylor, but acquiesced and kept the jury selection in April.

Weston is accused of being high on methamphetamine when he nodded off and crashed a Mitsubishi Montero on April 11, 2018, along Snydertown Road. His passenger, Pukiewicz, 21, was ejected from the vehicle and died at the scene.

Weston is facing 27 counts, including felony charges of murder of the third degree, homicide by vehicle and aggravated assault.

Police said Weston left Pukiewicz at the scene because he was hiding a gun he wasn't legally allowed to own as a convicted felon. The criminal complaint states a review of Weston's Facebook showed Weston allegedly discussed with multiple people his role in the accident, and his use and possession of drugs and illegal firearms, police said.

Assistant District Attorney Michael Seward said the trial would last three days.