Man charged with DUI in fatal hit-and-run of boy in Beaver County
A Beaver County man has been charged with homicide by vehicle while DUI after police said he hit and killed a child on a bicycle and drove away.
The Rochester Borough Police Department said officers were called to Pennsylvania Avenue shortly before 5 p.m. on Friday for reports of a boy who was unresponsive after wrecking his bike. Police said they found the boy on Lacock Street, and medics pronounced him dead at the scene.
According to court paperwork, surveillance video showed 53-year-old Thomas Earl Cole crashing his Chevrolet truck into the boy at the intersection of New York Avenue and Lacock Street before driving away.
When officers went to talk to Cole, they said his breath smelled like alcohol. Police said Cole told investigators he was in the area trying to find his way home because of a road closure. He said that he felt a bump but only saw a pile of rocks when he looked back.
Cole is facing several charges, including homicide by vehicle while DUI and reckless driving.
Rochester Elementary mourns "unimaginable loss"
In a letter to families posted online, Rochester Elementary Principal Rachael Cipolla said the boy killed was a third-grade student. His name hasn't been released.
"This is an unimaginable loss, and our thoughts are with the student's family, Rochester siblings, friends, and all who knew and loved him," Cipolla wrote.
The district will have counseling services available, and Cipolla said there will be a student remembrance on Monday from 5 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
"In times like this, finding the right words is difficult," Cipolla said. "Rochester is more than a place of learning - it is a community, a family - and when we lose one of our own, we all feel that loss together. We recognize that this news may be overwhelming for many of our students, and that each child may process it differently. We encourage families to have open, supportive conversations at home and to be attentive to their child's emotional needs in the coming days."
