Man admits to manslaughter in traffic accident that killed Hatfield Township woman; faces 14 years in prison

Aidan Thomas Jarrett, 19, of Quakertown (left) and Evan Robert Buckman, 19, of Marlborough Township, Montgomery County, have been charged with involuntary manslaughter in connection with a traffic accident in Hatfield Township that left a woman dead. (Courtesy of Montgomery County District Attorney's Office)

A Quakertown man has pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in connection with the speeding and racing crash that killed a Hatfield Township woman in May 2023. His friend and co-defendant, however, has opted for a jury trial.

According to The Pottstown Mercury, 20-year-old Aidan Thomas Jarrett of 300 Erie Avenue in Quakertown pleaded guilty to homicide with a vehicle and aggravated assault with a vehicle in Montgomery County court on Thursday. He faces between 7 and 14 years in prison.

Jarrett was driving at more than 110 mph on Bethlehem Pike/Route 309 – more specifically, authorities say, he was racing co-defendant Evan Robert Buckman, 20, of the 4000 block of East Campbell Road, Marlborough Township – when his red 2015 Mitsubishi Lancer collided with a silver 2015 Nissan Frontier at the intersection of Bergey Road at 8:41 p.m. on May 17, 2023.

Ida Lillo, 62, of Hatfield, was a passenger on the Frontier and was killed in the crash. Her husband, Louis Lillo III, was seriously injured and survived the crash.

Jarrett remains free on $50,000 bail pending sentencing, according to court documents. He was represented by defense attorney Gregory Francis Mitsch.

Meanwhile, Buckman is reportedly scheduled to appear in court on September 24. He is charged with vehicular manslaughter, aggravated assault with a vehicle, reckless endangerment, illegal racing, speeding and reckless driving.

Both men pleaded not guilty at arraignment in May. Buckman is also free on $50,000 bail, with no surety.

According to investigators, the accident occurred when Lillo attempted to turn left from Bethlehem Pike onto Bergey Road and was struck by Jarrett, who was driving too fast. (Editor's note: This accident occurred before the ability to turn left onto Bergey Road from Bethlehem Pike was removed.)

A third vehicle, described as a yellow Nissan 350z driven by Buckman, was also observed driving through the intersection at a high rate of speed seconds after the crash before stopping at the scene, police said.

The force of the impact caused the Nissan to tip onto its side and race through the intersection. According to the indictment, the driver and passenger were seriously injured. Both were taken from the scene of the accident to Grand View Hospital, and Lillo was pronounced dead a short time later.

At the scene, Jarrett told police he was exceeding the speed limit. When asked about his approximate speed, he replied, “Um, pretty fast. Um, a hundred,” police said.

Investigators said they determined through witness testimony, interviews with Jarrett and Buckman and nearby surveillance footage that Jarrett and Buckman were speeding in the southbound lanes before the crash. Data from the airbag control module in the Mitsubishi showed the vehicle was traveling 111 mph (178 km/h) at the time of the crash, and an analysis of video surveillance showed Buckman was traveling 95 mph (153 km/h), according to charging documents.

According to The Reporter, Hatfield Township police Officer William J. Summerfield claimed in the criminal complaint:

“The reconstruction of the accident revealed that the speed of the red Mitsubishi caused this accident,” Summerfield claimed. “(The vehicles were) driven with complete recklessness and wanton disregard for the safety of other persons or property.”

All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled from public court records.