Y-town cops charge driver in pedestrian killing

staff report

YOUNGSTOWN — Charges of vehicular homicide and two counts of child endangering have been filed against the woman police said ran a stop sign and killed a pedestrian on South Avenue.

Detective Sgt. Patricia Garcar, an accident investigator, said Brandy Robinson, 18, of Willis Avenue, was expected to turn herself in today. Once booked at the Mahoning County jail, Robinson will be video arraigned in municipal court. The charges are first degree misdemeanors, each punishable by up to six months in jail and up to $1,000 fine.

The child endangering charges apply to a 2-year-old boy and 4-year-old girl in Robinson’s car, Garcar said.

Helen Mrosko, 39, of East Boston Avenue, died after being pinned against the East Side Civics building on April 8. Garcar said Robinson was traveling east on East Philadelphia Avenue and failed to stop for the stop sign at South Avenue.

The 2003 Pontiac Grand Am driven by Robinson then struck a 2001 Dodge Neon traveling north on South Avenue before pinning Mrosko against the bar/restaurant at 2929 South Ave., the investigator said.

The Dodge was driven by Yaschica Shipman, 29, of West Boulevard, Boardman.

Mrosko, who worked at Belleria Pizza in Cornersburg, had just gotten off the bus on South Avenue and was walking on the sidewalk toward a tavern to meet her boyfriend when the accident took place, Garcar said.

Neither Shipman nor Robinson, who obtained her driver’s license in December 2007, applied brakes, Garcar said.

Mahoning County Coroner David M. Kennedy ruled the death an accident.