A 63-year-old Pennsylvania man is now facing multiple criminal charges after authorities say he admitted to drinking heavily before getting behind the wheel and causing a crash that killed a motorcyclist.
Roger Cline of Grindstone has been charged with homicide by vehicle, homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence, and several traffic violations following the Thursday night incident in Jefferson Township. According to police, Cline’s Chevy Equinox collided with a Honda Nighthawk motorcycle on Grindstone Road at around 10:30 p.m., killing 35-year-old Jacob Wolfe.
Investigators say that when troopers arrived at the scene and began speaking with Cline, they immediately noticed signs of intoxication — his eyes appeared bloodshot and glassy, a strong smell of alcohol was coming from his breath, and he had reportedly urinated on himself.
Officials say Cline told them he had just come from a location he did not disclose, where he consumed somewhere between five and seven shots of whiskey before driving. He allegedly told troopers he spotted the motorcycle’s headlights as it came around a bend, struck the bike, and then continued dragging Wolfe’s body beneath his vehicle for a significant distance before stopping.
While Cline declined to perform standard field sobriety tests, he did agree to a preliminary breath screening, which authorities say indicated the presence of alcohol in his system. A search of his vehicle also turned up a pill bottle sitting in the driver’s seat, according to police.
Investigators say a separate witness reported seeing Cline’s vehicle pass a nearby fire station shortly before the crash. That witness told troopers he heard a loud collision moments later, drove toward the sound, and arrived to find Cline still dragging Wolfe’s body from under the car.
The case remains under investigation, and further legal proceedings are expected as Cline faces the charges filed against him.
