Erie driver faces 22 charges after fleeing 9-vehicle crash with Bud Light
Irabaruta Ezechiel allegedly ran a red light, hit nine vehicles, then fled on foot carrying beer. Eight people hospitalized. Bail denied.
An Erie, Pennsylvania, commercial driver faces 22 charges after allegedly running a red light, crashing into nine vehicles, and fleeing the scene on foot while carrying a case of Bud Light bottles.
What happened in the July 23 Erie crash?
Police identified Irabaruta Ezechiel as the driver of a 2022 Freightliner semi-truck that struck five motorcycles and four station wagons at West 12th and Myrtle streets in Erie on July 23. According to the court-filed affidavit, the vehicles were stopped at a red light when the Freightliner traveling east through the 300 block of West 12th Street struck them. The affidavit states Ezechiel stumbled from the cab after the collision and fled while carrying a case of Bud Light bottles. Witnesses chased and subdued him behind a nearby U-Haul before police arrived. One open Bud Light bottle remained in the center cup holder of the truck.
Officers transported Ezechiel to Saint Vincent Hospital after his arrest. The investigating officer noted a "strong odor of an alcoholic beverage" and bloodshot, watery eyes. A charge nurse later told the officer that Ezechiel needed emergency-room care because he was unconscious. The officer obtained a nighttime warrant and collected two vials of blood. Lab results remained pending when police filed the complaint. The affidavit does not provide a blood-alcohol result.
How many people were injured?
Eight of 10 crash victims went to UPMC Hamot Hospital for treatment, according to the affidavit. The filing reports two suspected serious injuries and six suspected minor injuries. X-rays and CT scans remained pending when the officer completed the document. The affidavit does not name injured people or provide current medical conditions. It also does not report a death.
The affidavit first identifies five motorcycle operators and nine station-wagon occupants. It does not explain why the later hospital section refers to 10 victims.
What charges does the driver face?
The public docket lists two aggravated-assault-by-vehicle-while-DUI charges and two aggravated-assault-by-vehicle charges. Three separate DUI counts involve commercial-vehicle alcohol use, high-rate alcohol, and general impairment. The docket includes nine misdemeanor property-damage counts involving attended vehicles or property. It also lists reckless endangerment, open-container, reckless-driving, and unsafe-speed charges. Those charges remain accusations, and no court has entered a verdict.
Judge Alison M. Scarpitti denied bail after Ezechiel's July 24 arrest. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Aug. 7 in Erie County Central Court. Louis Callahan of the Erie County Public Defender's Office represents Ezechiel. Callahan declined to comment.
What this means for owner-operators and small fleets
Fleets need clear impairment policies, incident reporting, and evidence-preservation procedures after serious crashes. Those practices protect people and create factual records for investigators, insurers, and employers. A single DUI crash can trigger a DOT audit, spike your insurance premium by 50 percent or more at renewal, and expose the fleet to civil liability if the driver was on duty. If you lease to a carrier, check whether your lease agreement requires you to report arrests within 24 hours. Missing that deadline can void your insurance coverage for the incident.
