He wasn’t behind wheel, but trucking company owner gets 6-23 months for 2013 crash

April 20--SUNBURY -- A Riverside trucking firm owner will spend 6 to 23 months in county prison because a truck he allowed on the road had a "hazardous braking system" when it was involved in a four-vehicle accident that left a New York man wheelchair-bound.

Joshua S. Kovaschetz, 34, wasn't driving the truck, but he'll begin his sentence next Monday on two misdemeanor counts of recklessly endangering another person, Judge Charles Saylor ruled this morning in Northumberland County Court.

Kovaschetz, who pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor and several summary charges in January, testified at his sentencing hearing this morning, apologizing for the accident. But he noted that the truck involved had passed an inspection in Connecticut four days before the March 25, 2013, accident, and that the driver, David P. McGuinn, 54, of Paxinos, had said the rig was fine after a post-inspection test run.

Richard Shaw, of Johnson City, N.Y., who said he is partially paralyzed, and his wife, Brenda, who was also seriously injured, were at the sentencing. Richard Shaw said he was shocked that Kovaschetz will serve time in prison considering he wasn't involved in the accident, but also expressed disappointment that 12 other violations were dropped as part of the plea deal.

He noted that his and his wife's lives were changed forever because of the accident, which occurred on Route 54 in Ralpho Township. They continue to suffer from their injuries, he said from his wheelchair.

According to a report from Ralpho Township police, Richard Shaw was driving a Ford Mustang east at about 2:30 p.m. when it was rear-ended by McGuinn's truck. The collision forced the Mustang into the westbound lane, where it collided head-on with a Toyota Prius driven by David L. Wolfe, of Shamokin. The Prius was subsequently rear-ended by a Dodge Dakota driven by Ricardo Contreras, of Danville.

Wolfe and his two passengers -- his wife, Judith, and their son, David -- also were injured. Contreras and McGuinn were not.

The Shaws and David L. Wolfe, of Shamokin, through his insurance company, have filed lawsuits against Kovaschetz, his trucking company and McGuinn.

Kovaschetz previously pleaded guilty to hit and run in connection with a Feb. 7 accident in Riverside and was sentenced to nine months supervised probation. He also was charged in Montour County for incidents involving his trucking business, and with a separate DUI offense in Montour County.

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