Detwiler

From Mirror staff reports

A city man accused of killing a local high school student in a late October DUI crash waived his right to a preliminary hearing in Blair County Court on Wednesday, sending all charges against him to the court of common pleas.

Jared Paul Detwiler, 19, is facing one felony count each of homicide by vehicle while DUI, homicide by vehicle and aggravated assault by vehicle, along with misdemeanor charges of DUI highest rate, DUI general impairment and recklessly endangering another person and summary charges of purchasing alcohol by a minor, disregarding traffic lanes and driving at a safe speed. Unable to post $100,000 bail, he remains in custody at the Blair County Prison.

Court documents state that about 4:09 a.m. on Oct. 27, Detwiler was driving a truck in the far left lane of the 10th Avenue expressway when he swerved across two lanes and struck a shrub, tree, a post and four vehicles in a parking lot. Detwiler and Lundyn Treese, 17, who was in the passenger seat, were ejected.

Treese, an Altoona Area High School student and member of the girls’ soccer team, was killed in the crash. A 17-year-old passenger in the back seat climbed out of the truck unhurt, according to the report.

Blood tests showed that Detwiler’s blood alcohol was 0.218%, 2.7 times higher than the 0.08% legal limit in Pennsylvania for drivers over 21, according to information in the affidavit. The blood alcohol limit for drivers under 21 in Pennsylvania is 0.02%.

Detwiler is scheduled for a formal arraignment on Jan. 24, 2025.