Man Run Over by Dump Truck in Dispute Over Payment: Homicide Ruling Ensues
A tragic incident unfolded in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, where a man was run over by a dump truck during a dispute over payment. The Lehigh County Coroner, Daniel A. Buglio, has ruled the death of Mark T. Boyle, a 35-year-old resident of West Penn Twp., as a homicide.
The unfortunate event occurred on Wednesday when Boyle was hit by a 2001 Peterbilt truck driven by Michael Albert, a 60-year-old individual from Scranton. The incident took place around 5:50 p.m. at Boyle’s business, Mark T. Boyle Welding & Industrial Sandblasting, located at 725 Penn Drive.
Boyle was rushed to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest but was pronounced dead at 9 p.m. the same evening. Following an autopsy conducted at the Lehigh County Coroner’s Office and Forensic Center in Allentown on Friday, Coroner Buglio determined that the cause of death was multiple blunt-force injuries resulting from the collision.
According to reports, the tragic incident unfolded after Albert arrived at Boyle’s welding business to pick up his dump truck. However, Boyle insisted that Albert could not take the vehicle until he had paid the $7,500 that he owed for work done at the welding business. Boyle’s wife, Elizabeth, informed the police that Albert had requested a discount as the work had taken longer than anticipated.
Elizabeth Boyle stated that Albert entered the truck and informed her husband that he was leaving with the vehicle. Boyle, however, walked onto the driveway, trying to prevent Albert from leaving. In response, Albert allegedly swerved the truck toward Boyle and ran him over, as detailed by the police.
Albert admitted to seeing Boyle running towards the truck but continued to drive and only stopped when he felt a bump, according to the police report. He now faces serious charges, including third-degree murder, aggravated assault, homicide by vehicle, theft of services, and a misdemeanor charge of reckless endangerment. Albert has been remanded to Schuylkill County Prison without bail and is scheduled to appear before Magisterial District Judge Andrew J. Serina in Orwigsburg on August 15 for a preliminary hearing.
In an unrelated incident, about 10 hours after the tragic event, a fire broke out at Albert’s unoccupied residence on Brook Street in Scranton. Although the cause of the fire, which caused significant damage, remains undetermined, no injuries were reported.
Both the West Penn Twp. Police Department and the Schuylkill County District Attorney’s Office are actively investigating the case, as stated by Coroner Buglio.
This heartbreaking incident has left a community in mourning and serves as a grim reminder of the importance of resolving disputes peacefully. As the legal process unfolds, it is essential to remember the value of human life and work towards finding solutions that prevent such tragic outcomes.
