Clearfield County man faces charges in fatal crash

English, two others charged in 2020 crash that killed one

KYLERTOWN -- A Clearfield County man was charged Tuesday with involuntary manslaughter and accident involving death in relation to a fatal crash that occurred in November in Bradford Township.

In addition, Joel Edgar English, 24, of Woodland, was charged by state police with misdemeanor DUI and summary offenses including failing to report an accident to police, failure to notify police of an accident with death and operating a vehicle without a valid inspection.

According to the affidavit in English's case, when police arrived at the scene on McDowell Road, Bradford Township, just after midnight on Nov. 7, Travis Straw, 24, of West Decatur, was dead and English, the registered owner of the vehicle, was not there.

During the investigation that night, police determined that an occupant of the vehicle had fled the scene and identified him as English. After he was located, English reportedly denied being the driver.

He told investigators that he and Straw had left the Clearfield Moose before the accident.

Surveillance footage from the Clearfield Moose showed the two leaving together, with Straw in the passenger seat as they left the parking lot.

Police reported that a blood test revealed English's blood alcohol content was 0.217 percent.

Two women also face charges in the case, police said.

On Tuesday, the women, one from Philipsburg and the other from West Decatur, were charged with hindering an investigation and helping the alleged driver leave the scene.

Stacey Danielle Peters, 45, of West Decatur, and Jenny S. Peters, 47, of Philipsburg, were charged with felony hindering apprehension and misdemeanor obstructing the administration of law for allegedly helping English leave the scene of the accident.

A witness said he saw English in the driver's seat after the accident and that Jenny Peters helped him out of it.

According to affidavits, emergency medical personnel told officers that Stacey Peters, Jenny Peters and Drew Peters were at the scene prior to their arrival.

Jenny Peters told police she was driving alone when she came upon the accident. She said no one else was there at the time until two other women arrived.

When questioned by police, Stacey Peters said she and Drew Peters arrived after the crash. Drew Peters stated that she and Jenny Peters tried performing CPR on the victim.

When asked if anyone other than them, Jenny Peters and the victim were there, they said no.

In a later interview, Stacey Peters allegedly admitted English was also at the scene. She said because he was screaming and crying hysterically as he tried to wake the victim, she drove him away from the crash scene.

Another person then drove English home, allowing Stacey Peters to return to the scene.

English waived his right to a preliminary hearing Tuesday. His formal arraignment in Clearfield County Court is scheduled for Sept. 15.

Preliminary hearings for Stacey and Jenny Peters are scheduled for Oct. 6 in magisterial district court.