A Chemung County grand jury has indicted a Tompkins County woman on felony charges following a fatal crash in the Town of Veteran that killed a 25-year-old man.
Juria S. Vanness, 41, of Ithaca, faces multiple charges, including vehicular manslaughter, after allegedly causing a multi-vehicle collision on Oct. 26 that killed Alexei G. Seymour of Millport.
The crash occurred around 7:30 a.m. on state Route 13 near Parrott Road. According to New York State Police, Vanness was driving a 2016 Ford Fusion northbound when she reportedly crossed the double solid centerline into the southbound lane. As she attempted to merge back, she struck the driver’s side of a trailer being towed by Seymour’s 2019 Chevy Silverado.
The impact pushed both vehicles into the path of a southbound Freightliner truck. A lawnmower being hauled by Seymour’s trailer was ejected into traffic and struck by a nearby Mack truck.
Seymour died at the scene. Vanness suffered minor injuries and was flown to Guthrie Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre for treatment.
This week, troopers from the Horseheads barracks arrested Vanness after her indictment. She was charged with two counts of first-degree vehicular manslaughter, one of which is tied to a prior conviction within the last decade. The second count alleges she drove with a revoked or suspended license.
The grand jury also indicted her on charges of first-degree aggravated unlicensed operation and driving while ability impaired by drugs, both felonies. A misdemeanor charge of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance was also filed.
Vanness was booked into the Chemung County Jail but is no longer in custody, according to jail officials.
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