Ross woman gets prison sentence for fatal hit-and-run

A Ross woman is headed to prison for fatally striking a woman with an SUV and then fleeing the scene after drinking at a nearby bar in January.

Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Kelly Bigley on Monday sentenced Erin Lee Petroski, 40, to three to six years in prison in connection with pedestrian Elizabeth Griser’s Jan. 13 death, court records show.

In addition to being sentenced on a charge of accidents involving death or personal injury, Petroski also was sentenced to 30 days to six months on a DUI charge and five years of probation on a charge of homicide by vehicle, court records show.

Petroski previously pleaded guilty to the charges. Several other charges, including involuntary manslaughter, were withdrawn or changed, court records show.

“I am incredibly proud of the work of our officers to bring justice to this case,” Ross police Deputy Chief Brian Kohlhepp said. “The initial patrol officers did an excellent job locating the vehicle and identifying the driver the same night as the incident.”

Attorney Steve Townsend, who represents Petroski, declined to comment Monday.

Records show Griser’s mother filed a lawsuit Oct. 11 against Petroski and the bar where she was drinking on the night of Griser’s death.

Ross police found Griser, 32, of Mars after responding about 11 p.m. Jan. 13 to the 3000 block of Babcock Boulevard, according to a criminal complaint in the case.

Several bystanders performed CPR on Griser, who had “a large laceration on her head,” the complaint said. When officers arrived, Griser was not breathing and had no pulse. She was taken to Allegheny General Hospital, where she died.

Surveillance video showed an SUV heading south on Babcock Boulevard — less than a quarter-mile from where Griser’s body was found — about 10:40 p.m., the complaint said. The SUV, which was traced to Petroski, had a passenger-side headlight missing and damage to its front passenger side.

When police later interviewed Petroski at her home, she confirmed she had been in a crash. Officers asked whether she had stopped.

“I did stop,” said Petroski, according to the complaint. “I’m not going to say much more. I understand why you’re here.”

William Stewart, Petroski’s boyfriend, told police Petroski was at Hal’s Bar & Grill on Babcock Boulevard that night, the complaint said. When Stewart arrived at home, he found Petroski standing in the driveway, hysterical, stating “that she hit something.”

Blood results showed Petroski’s blood-alcohol level that night was 0.11%, which is above the legal limit of 0.08%, the complaint said.

Several pieces of white plastic bumper parts were recovered near the victim’s body that matched pieces missing from the front bumper of Petroski’s SUV, the complaint said.

Data from Petroski’s SUV showed she was driving about 45 mph at the time of the crash when it was snowing in a posted 35 mph zone, the complaint said. Data also recorded that Petroski didn’t hit the brakes at any time before the collision.

Traffic cameras captured Griser walking from a McKnight Road bus stop toward a Babcock Boulevard business, the complaint said. She was lying on the road unattended for nearly 11 minutes before bystanders tried to help her.