SUNBURY - A Riverside trucking firm owner charged in connection with a March 25, 2013, four-vehicle accident on Route 54 in Ralpho Township that seriously injured a New York couple pleaded guilty Monday to multiple offenses, including two misdemeanor counts of recklessly endangering another person.
Joshua S. Kovaschetz, 34, is facing a maximum four-year state prison sentence and fines up to $10,000 after entering the plea before Northumberland County Judge Charles Saylor.
The defendant, who was represented by Attorney Kyle Rude of Williamsport, told the judge he fully understood the ramifications of forfeiting his right to a trial by pleading guilty and was satisfied with his legal counsel.
He remains free on $10,000 unsecured bail.
Saylor ordered a pre-sentence investigation in the case and will sentence Kovaschetz within 90 days.
In addition to the misdemeanors, Kovaschetz pleaded guilty to summaries of having a tractor-trailer in an unsafe condition, failing to have insurance on the vehicle, an inspection violation and two counts of allowing a hazardous brake system.
Eleven other summary offenses will not be prosecuted under a plea agreement with the district attorney's office.
The charges were filed by Ralpho Township police and state police at Stonington.
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.
The 2013 accident near Elysburg left Richard Shaw, of Johnson City, N.Y., confined to a wheelchair and also caused serious injuries to his wife, Brenda. The Shaws and David L. Wolfe, of Shamokin, through his insurance company, have filed lawsuits against Kovaschetz, his trucking company and David P. McGuinn, 54, of Paxinos, the driver of the rig owned by Kovaschetz.
Wolfe and his two passengers - his wife, Judith, and their son, David - also were injured.
Another accident victim, Ricardo Contreras, of Danville, and McGuinn escaped injury.
McGuinn was charged with three summary offenses - operating unsafe equipment, careless driving and an out-of-service offense. On Aug. 20, he pleaded guilty to operating unsafe equipment and paid a fine and costs totaling $127.50. The other two charges were withdrawn.
According to a report issued by Ralpho Township police shortly after the accident, 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 Ford into the westbound lane, where it collided head-on with a Toyota Prius driven by David Wolfe. The Prius was subsequently rear-ended by a Dodge Dakota driven by Contreras.