No charges yet in crash that killed 11-year-old Roxanne Bonnoni in Natrona
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Seven weeks after 11-year-old Roxanne Bonnoni was struck and killed by a vehicle near her North Canal Street home in Harrison, there is no word on whether the driver of that vehicle will face charges.
Allegheny County Police, who led the investigation into the incident, said their report and evidence have been in the hands of the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office since last month.
Emma Federkeil, communications director for Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr., did not respond to multiple requests for a case status.
Beyond painful memories, what remains is a weather-worn memorial to Roxanne.
Stuffed animals, prayer cards and photos of Roxanne adorn the corner near Kuntz Street, and smaller remembrances dot the empty field across the street where neighborhood children play.
Roxanne’s family waits for answers while the case is under review.
Amber Bonnoni, Roxanne’s mother, said Tuesday she didn’t want to talk about potential charges against the driver of the Jeep Patriot that struck her daughter while she crossed the street the evening of Aug. 20.
Allegheny County Police did not release the name of the driver, who remained at the scene after the crash.
In the weeks after the incident, a GoFundMe has raised nearly $19,000 in memory of Roxanne, who would have been a sixth grader at the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf this school year.
The donations exceeded the goal by about $1,000.
Bonnoni previously posted a message to the 300 people who donated.
“There really are no words to describe how I feel without my beautiful Roxanne,” the message read. “This was a horrific, senseless tragedy that I wish never happened. However, through all this darkness, all of you shined a little light with your prayers and support.”
It is unclear whether the Harrison commissioners plan to study speed limits along North Canal Street, which comes off Springhill Road and runs along the railroad lines.
Township Manager Amy Rockwell did not return requests for comment on whether the area is a concern for speeding.
In recent weeks, police Chief Brian Turack announced he would bring back DUI checkpoints in an effort to bolster safety in the township. The first one, held Sept. 20, was not far from where Roxanne was killed.
Turack enlisted help from the Allegheny Valley DUI Enforcement Task Force to conduct a checkpoint along River Avenue that netted five arrests and 11 citations.
It was the first DUI checkpoint in the township since at least 2013.
Several neighbors along Canal Street on Tuesday declined to comment, saying the community needs time to heal.