HARRISBURG (TNS) — A Dauphin County woman told police she intentionally drove her SUV into the path of an oncoming tractor-trailer — causing a crash that killed her boyfriend — while the couple was arguing, court documents said.
Lisa A. Waibel, 41, of of Lykens, was charged with homicide, vehicular homicide, recklessly endangering another person and several summary offenses in the March death of her boyfriend Matthew D. Napoleoni, 44, on Route 225 in Jackson Township, according to Pennsylvania State Police.
Waibel initially claimed not to remember anything that happened March 16 — before, during, or after the crash, according to an affidavit of probable cause. The crash occurred about 4:10 p.m.
Court documents said she later admitted she and Napoleoni had been in arguing over infidelity at the time of the crash, and that she purposely turned in front of the tractor-trailer in an attempt to kill herself.
“Waibel confessed that she intentionally turned left in front of the truck-tractor which was pulling a trailer in an attempt to commit suicide with the knowledge that the victim was seated on the passenger side of the vehicle and would suffer the consequences of her intentional act,” state police wrote in the affidavit.
The affidavit gave this account of what happened:
Just before the crash, two witnesses saw Waibel’s Nissan Juke stopped in the northbound turn lane, facing south on Route 225. The witness said Waibel and Napoleoni were outside the car and appeared to be arguing. Napoleoni then got into the passenger side and Waibel into the driver side, and the witness saw Waibel waving her arms.
A third witness told state police they saw Waibel abruptly turn left around 4:05 p.m. in front of a northbound tractor-trailer near the Mountain House Road intersection.
When troopers arrived at the scene around 4:15 p.m., they said they found the wrecked Nissan and tractor-trailer off Route 225′s northbound shoulder. Waibel was extricated from the vehicle and treated, but Napoleoni was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to court documents, the tractor-trailer was going about 55 mph when Waibel quickly turned in front of it. The truck’s driver said he tried to brake and swerve out of the way but could not in time to avoid the collision.
Dash camera footage from the tractor-trailer confirmed Waibel abruptly turned left from the turn lane at Mountain House Road, into the path of the tractor-trailer, according to court documents. The affidavit said there were about four or five car lengths between Waibel’s Nissan and the tractor-trailer when she made the turn.
Data from Waibel’s vehicle showed she accelerated prior to impact, according to court records.
A search of Waibel’s phone showed she sent photos to and told “her paramour” about Napoleoni’s death while she was hospitalized after the crash, according to court documents.
Online court records show Waibel was denied bail and is being held at Dauphin County Prison. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 25 in front of Magisterial District Judge Gregory Johnson.
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