No Charges To Be Filed In Crash That Killed Teen

WASHINGTON, Pa. — No charges will be filed in connection with a crash involving a dirt bike that took the life of a 15-year-old boy. The crash between a dirt bike and an SUV happened on April 14 at the intersection of West Chestnut and Washington Street. The teenager riding the dirt bike, Jonathan Gillespie, 15, was flown to Children’s Hospital, but later died of the injuries he sustained in the crash. The driver of the SUV, who remained on scene and administered CPR before first responders arrived, tested negative for any impairment. Washington Police spent over a month investigating the crash, collecting witness statements, video evidence and medical records to understand what happened before and during the incident. Once the investigation was complete, it was turned over to the DA’s office for review, and then the two agencies met to discuss findings. Both the Washington Police Department and the Washington County District Attorney’s Office agreed that criminal charges wouldn’t be filed, determining that the driver was not at fault for the crash. The teen was riding his dirt bike when he was hit by a car April 14 at the intersection of West Chestnut and Washington streets in the city. He was flown to UPMC Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh, where he died three days later. Police informed the teen’s parents Monday that the driver would not be charged, according to a press release issued Tuesday by Washington police Chief Steve Devenney. “During the month-long investigation, this department collected multiple witness statements, video evidence and obtained the medical records of the deceased in order to obtain a clear picture of the events leading up to and including the accident,” Devenney wrote in the release. Jasmine Gillespie, Johnathan’s older sister, said the family believes the driver – who has not been identified by police – should face charges for the incident. “We just feel like we didn’t get justice for Johnathan,” she said Tuesday. Devenney did not provide specific details about what led to the accident or why the department decided the driver would not be charged. The Observer-Reporter filed a Right-to-Know request Tuesday afternoon seeking the identity of the driver and the circumstances that led to the crash. Washington County District Attorney Jason Walsh declined to comment on the case and deferred questions to police. Washington police consider the investigation to be closed.