A Tyrone man was charged after allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol, which led to an accident on the 400 block of Washington Avenue that caused the death of Carol Bright of Tyrone, a year ago.
Meryle T. Stiver III, age 35 of Tyrone, was arrested Tuesday and arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Fred Miller on one count each of homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence and homicide by vehicle. Stiver was also charged with a misdemeanor driving under the influence and driving under the influence with a blood-alcohol level of more than 0.16 percent.
Police reported that Stiver was intoxicated at the time of the accident. He had a blood-alcohol level of 0.286 percent. This was more than three times the legal limit.
The homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence charge will have a three-year minimum prison sentence. However, it could keep Stiver in prison for up to ten years.
The accident occurred when Stiver’s wife Gloria said she thought he was cheating on her and received information on where her husband and Bright might be located. When Gloria Stiver arrived there, she passed her husband, and decided to follow him. Then she came upon the accident.
Meryle Stiver was seriously injured in the accident and told the court that he had a hip replacement in late 2006.
Bright was to plead guilty in the 2004 accidental shooting death of her boyfriend Starson Walker when she was killed.
A preliminary hearing for Stiver will be held on March 20. He was committed to Blair County Prison on 10 percent of $200,000 bail.
