Speeding driver charged with murder and drunk driving, nearly two years after crash kills Harrisburg woman

A Harrisburg man was speeding on wet roads and overtaking illegally shortly before causing a crash in October 2022 that killed one of his passengers, police said in court documents filed this week.

Jose J. Rivera Jr., 34, was charged Monday with vehicular homicide and drunken driving in connection with the Oct. 4, 2022, crash in Newberry Township that killed Yahaira Montero of Harrisburg, court records show.

A witness told police that Rivera passed him on Old Trail Road at about 60 mph in a 35 mph zone on a double-yellow section of road that indicated a no-passing zone. The witness said he soon came across Rivera's Toyota Corolla crashing into a Jeep, according to a probable cause affidavit.

Police said Rivera was driving the Toyota south through the 700 block of Old Trail Road when he crossed into the northbound lane around 9 a.m. and struck the Jeep. Montero, Rivera's passenger, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Montero died of blunt force trauma and her death was ruled an accident, the York County Coroner's Office said.

According to police, three people were also injured in the accident.

Data obtained from Toyota indicated the car was traveling at a high rate of speed shortly before the accident, the affidavit states. Police did not provide any information about a specific speed in court documents.

A blood test also showed that Rivera had marijuana in his system during the accident, the affidavit said.

Online court records show Rivera had not been taken into custody as of Tuesday.