Soldier Charged in Irish Dancer Death.

By Sean O’Driscoll

A SOLDIER who allegedly killed an Irish dancer in a road accident is to go on trial for homicide and drunk driving, a Pittsburgh court ruled this week. 

A paramedic gave evidence at a coroner’s inquest on Monday that National Guard Private Joseph J. Livoti, was so drunk that he didn’t know how he arrived at the accident scene. 

However, Livoti’s lawyer, Greg Schwab, told the Irish Voice that his client would be contesting the charges and said that that police and paramedics had contaminated the crash scene. 

Margaret Brohan of Ennis, Co. Clare, 19, was a member of the Rhythm of the Dance Irish dancing show and was on tour in the U.S. 

Schwab admitted that his client was “well in excess” of the drinking limit but said that he had already obtained an expert who would show that Livoti was not responsible for the accident. 

Medical evidence at the inquest showed that Livoti was more than double the legal limit of alcohol. 

Schwab said he would be introducing evidence about drink consumed by the driver of the car in which Brohan was traveling, but said that he did not want to take away from the tragedy suffered by the Brohan family. 

“Mr. Livoti’s mother is writing a letter to the Brohan family. Everyone is deeply upset by this. These are good people and they want to do what is best,” he said. 

The defense will also claim that police and paramedics contaminated the crash scene and may have moved the debris. 

Livoti, 25, of Indiana, Pennsylvania, was charged with homicide by vehicle, homicide by drunk driving and involuntary manslaughter.

Evidence at the inquest showed that he had a blood alcohol level of 0.198 when his pickup truck collided with the Volkswagen car in which Brohan was traveling on November 12. Pennsylvania’s legal intoxication limit is 0.08.

Paramedic Carin Fullum told the inquest that Livoti was concerned for Brohan despite suffering from a head wound. He was very upset and cried on the way to the hospital, she said.