‘I have received forgiveness and so I offer it to you,’ father of crash victim tells Mt. Lebanon man given plea deal
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Just minutes after Hampartsoum “Henry” Nazarian pleaded guilty to striking their son on the side of the road and killing him, David and Heidi Drake were in the courthouse hallway hugging him.
“The accident was not an intentional thing to try to hurt us or Tyler,” Heidi Drake said in court. “My husband and I want him to know we forgive him. He can find peace.”
Nazarian, 66, of Mt. Lebanon pleaded guilty on Monday to homicide by vehicle, reckless endangerment, careless driving, speeding and related counts.
As part of the plea agreement, Nazarian will spend two years on electronic home monitoring, followed by two additional years on probation.
On Nov. 7, 2022, police said that Nazarian was driving a Honda Odyssey minivan and turned off of the Sewickley Bridge onto University Boulevard in Moon when he tried to race ahead to merge into the left lane because it was an active work zone.
Assistant District Attorney Shreya Desai said that there were at least six posted signs warning drivers that the right lane was closed ahead, and traffic cones were in use for a half-mile to help merge traffic.
A white Chevy Silverado would not allow Nazarian to merge so the defendant sped ahead to get in front, she said.
Instead, he struck Tyler Drake, who was working with Richardson Tree and Landscape trimming trees, from behind.
Drake, 24, of New Castle, was taken to Allegheny General Hospital where he died a few hours later.
Investigators said there was no evidence of braking by Nazarian, and that his minivan was traveling 98 to 104 mph a quarter mile prior to impact.
Witnesses said that Nazarian and the driver of the pickup truck were driving aggressively.
Both Heidi and David Drake gave victim impact statements to the court, describing the loss of their son — compounded by the birth of his daughter six months later.
Tyler was outgoing and friendly and positively influenced those around him, they said.
He was a member of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard and was excited to learn he was going to be a father.
David Drake told Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Jennifer Satler that he had been wanting to meet with Nazarian for a long time to offer him and his family words of comfort.
“Every action has a consequence and an opportunity,” David said. “I’m sorry you had to wait this long to hear these words.”
David then shared a story with the court. Forty-five years ago, he said, when he was a young driver, his negligence caused an accident that involved a young family.
No one was killed, David said, but he often wondered why it happened.
He now understands, he said, that it allows him empathy for Nazarian.
“I have received forgiveness, and so I offer it to you,” David said.
As Nazarian spoke to the court, supporting himself with a tall walking stick, he began to cry.
“I would like to express my deepest sympathy for your loss,” he said, his voice breaking. “It was not intentional … especially knowing about his little child.”
Defense attorney Nicholas Frisk III said his client is fighting two types of cancer and has Type II diabetes.
As the case ended, Nazarian asked his attorney if he could shake the Drakes’ hands before he left.
In the hallway, the Drakes agreed to speak with him.
Instead of shaking hands, they embraced Nazarian and his wife.
“When you’re the one at fault, you can’t blame anyone else, so you’re left to carry the responsibility of your actions,” David Drake said. “We’re all pretty quick to throw stones.”