A Duquesne man had a blood-alcohol content of more than twice the legal limit when he led police on a chase through West Mifflin last month before crashing on airport property and killing his passenger, according to charges filed Monday.
Eugene McLemore, 36, is charged with homicide by vehicle, fleeing police, driving under the influence and reckless endangerment.
Police said McLemore was intoxicated when he sped through a construction zone near Allegheny County Airport and struck a pole, killing his passenger, 32-year-old Barbara Mohammad.
The July 23 incident started around 3:20 a.m. on Duquesne Boulevard when a Duquesne patrolman said he noticed a SUV about to rear-end him as he headed south on Route 837. The patrolman said he had to move into left lane to avoid a collision, according to the criminal complaint.
The patrolman said the driver of the SUV, later identified as McLemore, rear-ended another vehicle and then continued on.
The officer said he put on his lights and siren and followed the SUV, which eventually ended up on Camp Hollow Road in West Mifflin.
Two construction flaggers working at Camp Hollow and Lebanon Church roads told police they saw the SUV coming at them with only its running lights on. They said they signaled for the driver to slow down but ultimately had to leap out of the way as McLemore sped through the intersection, according to the complaint.
The SUV crashed into a pole at the entrance to Allegheny County Airport, police said. McLemore and Mohammad both were ejected from the vehicle. McLemore was in stable condition following the crash. Mohammad died from her injuries about an hour later at UPMC Mercy.
From his hospital bed, McLemore told detectives he left work at the Amazon warehouse in Sewickley around 10:30 p.m. and Mohammad was with him, according to the complaint. He said he drove to a McKeesport bar, the complaint said.
Police said McLemore confirmed he was driving. Blood drawn at the hospital showed McLemore had a blood-alcohol content of 0.166%, according to the complaint.
Authorities took McLemore into custody Monday. Bail information was not immediately available. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Aug. 19.
