New York woman charged for hit-and-run that killed a 75-year-old Clinton Twp. man
Aug. 23—A New York woman surrendered to authorities in Wayne County on charges she struck and killed a 75-year-old man with her vehicle, then drove away from the scene.
Lisa M. Barnes, 40, appeared for arraignment Wednesday before Magisterial District Judge Jonathan J. Dunsinger on a felony count of causing an accident involving death/personal injury and on several traffic citations.
Barnes, of Johnson City, is accused of striking Franklin Pauler around 7 p.m. Aug. 11 on the 900 block of Creek Drive in Clinton Twp., according to a criminal complaint filed by state police Trooper Michael Galinsky.
Barnes told state police the next day that she believed she struck a mailbox She left the scene and drove back to Johnson City.
Barnes turned herself in on Aug. 12 after she retained Scranton attorney Jason J. Mattioli.
She told investigators she was on her way to a friend's house to attend a gathering but was unfamiliar with the area and her cellphone's GPS did not have service, according to an affidavit.
Barnes looked at her phone while driving, veered out of her lane and struck Pauler, police said.
Her bewilderment with the area contributed to her identification as the driver, according to the affidavit.
Trooper Robert Sibello tried to help Barnes with directions when he came upon her on Creek Drive minutes before the crash, state police said. State police connected Barnes to the crash by investigating the license plate number recorded by Sibello's patrol car camera.
A description of the Cadillac that left the scene of the crash matched the vehicle Sibello came across, state police said.
The Cadillac was registered to Barnes' father in Susquehanna County. By the end of the night Aug. 11, state police were in contact with her father's girlfriend. Barnes learned the next day from her mother that she had struck a pedestrian.
Once Barnes and her family learned of what happened, she surrendered and cooperated with the investigation, Mattioli said.
"This is an awful and horrible, tragic accident," Mattioli said.
Barnes is free on $150,000 unsecured bail. She is scheduled for a preliminary hearing Sept. 6.
Pauler died of his injuries at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center, prosecutors said.
An obituary published in the Tri-County Independent said Pauler was a long-time mail carrier in Wayne County and deacon at Aldenville Baptist Church in Clinton Twp. A father of four, he left behind 10 grandchildren and six siblings. His late wife of 43 years, Virginia N. Pauler, died April 29, 2022.
Contact the writer: jkohut@timesshamrock.com, 570-348-9100, x5187; @jkohutTT on Twitter.
