Hanover Township man charged with vehicular homicide in alleged drunken crash

SHICKSHINNY — A Hanover Township man is charged with vehicular homicide for the alleged drunken driving crash that claimed the life of a 19-year-old Newport Township woman in June.

Tyler Mitzell, 19, of Pulaski Street, was legally intoxicated when he crashed a 2010 Chevrolet Colorado into an embankment at Nevel Hollow Road and Hunlock-Harveyville Road in Union Township on June 22, according to court records.

Kaycee Kreitzer, 19, of Glen Lyon, a passenger, was ejected from the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene.

Mizell was transported to Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Plains Township after the crash.

Pennsylvania State Police at Shickshinny charged Mitzell with homicide by vehicle, reckless endangerment, purchase of alcohol by a minor, three traffic violations and three counts of driving under the influence.

Mizell was arraigned by District Judge Carol A. Davenport of Shickshinny and jailed at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility for lack of $250,000 bail.

In an unrelated case, Mizell is awaiting a sentencing hearing for a drunken driving offense in Hanover Township on Sept. 16, 2023.

In that case, Hanover Township police investigated a woman struck by a vehicle driven by Mizell in the area of Sans Souci Parkway and Main Road.

Township police in court records say an odor of an alcoholic beverage was detected on Mizell and a can of beer was inside his vehicle.

Mizell, then 18, initially denied he consumed alcohol but later admitted, court records say, he had one beer prior to striking the woman.

Mizell is scheduled to be sentenced before President Judge Michael T. Vough on a drunken driving offense Oct. 10.