Woman charged in DUI deaths of elderly couple

Aug. 21--A Wyoming Borough woman faces vehicular homicide charges Friday alleging she was drunk when she collided head-on with another vehicle, killing an elderly married couple.

Zabrina Marie Burge, 28, is facing charges of vehicular homicide while driving under the influence, aggravated assault, DUI, reckless driving, careless driving, failing to keep right and disregarding a traffic lane.

Police allege Burge crossed the double yellow lines at a curve along River Road in Jenkins Twp. and collided with an oncoming vehicle the evening of Oct. 10, 2019.

The occupants of the oncoming vehicle, Forty Fort residents Joseph R. Lyons, 83, and Gloria J. Lyons, 80, were killed in the collision.

Burge and her passenger, Sheikhm M. Conteg, 26, of Wilkes-Barre, were taken to Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Plains Twp. for treatment.

According to a civil lawsuit previously filed in the crash, the impact fractured Joseph Lyons's ribs and pelvis, and inflicted a head injury. Gloria Lyons was "flung from the vehicle to the roadway and apparently dragged under the vehicle to its resting point," according to the suit.

Burge was alleged to have had a blood-alcohol content of .30% -- nearly four times the legal limit for driving.

In February, the Lyons' estate reached a $1.2 million settlement with Burge's insurance company, according to settlement documents filed by Kingston law firm Selingo Guagliardo.

Magisterial District Judge Alexandra Kokura Kravitz arraigned Burge on the criminal charges Friday and released her on $100,000 unsecured bail.

A preliminary hearing was set for Sept. 22.

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