A Westmoreland County Judge has refused to dismiss a charge of third-degree murder in connection with the trial of Matthew Ramsay of New Stanton.
The Tribune-Review reports that Ramsay was charged in connection with a collision that killed 49-year-old Joseph Cummins along Ruffsdale Alverton Road in East Huntingdon in December of 2016. Authorities say Ramsay was under the influence of methadone and other drugs and was deliberately swerving his car as he was driving when he hit Cummins.
The defense claimed the third degree murder charge did not fit because Ramsay did not act with malice, but Judge Christopher Feliciani said that Ramsay disregarded warnings about mixing the drugs he was taking.
The trial is tentatively scheduled for March.
