Aidan Thomas Jarrett, 19, of Quakertown, left, and Evan Robert Buckman, 19, of Marlborough Township, Montgomery County, have been charged with vehicular homicide in a Hatfield Township crash that killed a woman. (Courtesy Montgomery County DA’s office)
A co-defendant has opted for a jury trial, per court documents.
A Quakertown man has admitted to vehicular homicide in the speeding and racing incident that killed a Hatfield Township woman in May 2023, while his friend and co-defendant has chosen to go through with a jury trial.
According to The Pottstown Mercury, Aidan Thomas Jarrett, 20, of the 300 block of Erie Avenue, Quakertown, pleaded guilty Thursday in Montgomery County Common Pleas court to felony homicide by vehicle and felony aggravated assault by vehicle, and faces between 7 to 14 years in prison.
Jarrett was speeding in excess of 110 mph on Bethlehem Pike/Route 309 – specifically, authorities allege, racing with co-defendant Evan Robert Buckman, 20, of the 4000 block of East Campbell Road, Marlborough Township – when his red 2015 Mitsubishi Lancer collided with a silver 2015 Nissan Frontier on May 17, 2023 at 8:41 p.m. at the Bergey Road intersection.
Ida Lillo, 62, of Hatfield, was a passenger in the Frontier and killed in the crash. Her husband, Louis Lillo III, was seriously injured and survived the crash.
Jarrett remains free on $50,000 unsecured bail pending sentencing, per court documents. He was represented by defense attorney Gregory Francis Mitsch.
Meanwhile, per the report, Buckman, charged with homicide by vehicle, aggravated assault by vehicle, reckless endangerment, illegal racing, speeding, and reckless driving, will have a Sept. 24 trial date.
Back in May, both men entered not guilty pleas at arraignment. Buckman is also free on $50,000 unsecured bail.
Investigators said the crash occurred when Lillo was attempting to make a left turn onto Bergey Road from Bethlehem Pike and was struck by Jarrett, who was speeding. (Editor’s note: this crash occurred prior to the removal of the ability to turn left onto Bergey Road from Bethlehem Pike.)
A third vehicle, described as a yellow Nissan 350z driven by Buckman, was also observed traveling at a high rate of speed through the intersection seconds after the crash, before stopping at the scene, police said.
The force of the crash caused the Nissan to flip on its side and travel through the intersection, seriously injuring the driver and passenger, according to the criminal complaint. Both were transported from the scene to Grand View Hospital, with Lillo being pronounced dead a short time later.
While on scene, Jarrett told police on scene that was driving over the speed limit, and when asked his approximate speed, he replied, "Uhh, pretty fast. Uhh a hundred,” according to police.
Investigators said they determined through witness’s statements, interviews with Jarrett and Buckman, and nearby surveillance footage, that Jarrett and Buckman were racing at high speeds in the southbound lanes prior to the crash. Data from the Airbag Control Module in the Mitsubishi showed the vehicle was traveling at 110.6 miles-per-hour at the time of the crash, and an analysis of video surveillance showed Buckman was traveling at 95 miles-per-hour, according to charging documents.
According to The Reporter, Hatfield Township Police Officer William J. Summerfield alleged in the criminal complaint:
“The reconstruction of the crash found the speed of the red Mitsubishi caused this crash,” alleged Summerfield. “(The vehicles were driven in) a complete reckless and wanton disregard for the safety of other persons or property.”
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
