No charges against truck driver in fatal Youngstown cop crash

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Robert Deichman YPD offficer killed in traffic accident

YOUNGSTOWN — No charges will be filed against the truck driver involved in the fatal crash of police officer in June, the city prosecutor said.

Detective Sgt. Robert Deichman’s blood alcohol concentration was nearly double the legal limit when he drove an unmarked police car into the side of a semi tractor-trailer and died around 3:20 a.m. June 19.

Deichman, 40, had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.158. The legal limit is 0.08.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol was called in to investigate the crash that took place in front of Zorro Trucking, 2755 Salt Springs Road. Deichman, traveling in the eastbound lane in a 2003 Ford Taurus, hit the side of the truck trailer that had pulled into the roadway to travel westbound. The posted speed is 35 mph.

The truck driver, David J. Feliciano, 38, of Berlin Center was not injured.

The Taurus’ Restraint Control Module, located under the driver’s seat, was sent to the Ford Motor Co. for testing, said Lt. Chris Heverly, commander at the patrol’s Canfield post. Among the data investigators sought was a speed estimate.

City Prosecutor Jay Macejko said Monday that Ford agreed to analyze the module to determine if it recorded any data at the moment of impact. It was submitted as a last-ditch effort after traditional methods of crash reconstruction failed, he said.

The module recorded no data, the prosecutor said. He said the report from Ford was sent to the patrol a short time ago and the results forwarded to him for final review.

“Without the actual or estimated speed of Deichman’s vehicle, it is impossible to fully evaluate the situation to determine if criminal charges are warranted,” Macejko said. “At this time, I consider this matter closed.”

Read more in Tuesday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com