More details on cop crash released

July 2, 2008 at 5:03p.m.

Robert Deichman YPD offficer killed in traffic accident

YOUNGSTOWN — At 3:20 a.m., David J. Feliciano pulled his semi tractor-trailer with broken marker lights into the path of a car driven by a police officer who’d had too much to drink, crash investigators said. The fiery June 19 crash killed 40-year-old Detective Sgt. Robert Deichman, a nine-year veteran of the Youngstown Police Department assigned to the Accident Investigation Unit. Feliciano, 38, of Berlin Center, was not injured.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol released a partial report of the fatal crash on Monday and a supplement on Wednesday. Still to come is reconstruction of the accident that happened in front of Zorro Trucking, 2755 Salt Springs Road.

The reconstruction is expected to include an estimate of how fast Deichman, who was off duty, was traveling in his city-owned unmarked 2003 Ford Taurus. Posted speed for the roadway is 35 mph.

Deichman’s blood alcohol concentration was .158. The legal limit is .08. Feliciano’s wife said Wednesday that he is not commenting and referred questions to Zorro Oil Field Services’ insurer. The representative could not be reached Wednesday.

After inspection of Feliciano’s truck, the patrol listed these violations, unrelated to the crash: The trailer has inoperative left and right side front lower ID/marker lamps (broken, no lenses or bulbs); left side lower intermediate lamp has broken (disconnected) wire and is inoperative; the right side lower intermediate lamp is covered with mud and inoperative; left and right side lower reflective tape is missing at center and not covering 50 percent of trailer sides. The tractor was placed out of service by the patrol due to having two brakes out of adjustment and the fuel cap leaking. Read more in Thursday's Vindicator and Vindy.com