Police, DA: Defendant Killed Front Seat Passenger

Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman and West Pottsgrove Township Chief of Police Earl E. Swavely Jr. in a news release on Monday announced the arrest of Marco Cuevas Mora for homicide by vehicle, DUI and related charges.

"The arrest is a result of a crash that occurred in the early morning hours of Sunday, April 22, 2012," the release states. "The defendant killed his front seat passenger, Armando Mora-Lemus in the crash."

West Pottsgrove Township Police shortly after midnight on April 22 responded to the crash off of Route 422 where they found a 2000 Volkswagen Jetta in the woods nearby.

"There were a total of three occupants in the car during the crash," the release states. "Upon the arrival of emergency medical personnel it was determined that one of the occupants, who had been ejected from the vehicle, had no signs of life and was later pronounced dead at the location of the crash. The operator and other occupant of the vehicle sustained injuries and were transported to Reading Hospital for treatment."

Investigators determined that Marco Mora was the driver during the crash. Armando Mora-Lemus was ejected from right front seat, another passenger was in the rear of the car, the release states.    

"Officers at the scene and at the hospital detected alcohol on the defendant’s breath and found him to be visibly impaired," the release states. "Blood was taken from the defendant at Reading Hospital and it was submitted to National Medical Services for analysis."

Officials determined the defendant was traveling at a minimum speed of 79 miles per hour when he lost control of his vehicle, the release states.

"The vehicle crossed through the westbound lane of travel of the roadway and went onto the berm," the release states.

The vehicle went over a guardrail, was airborne and hit several tree tops "as it flipped end over end and rotated passenger side over driver side while (traveling) over 117 feet before the rear of the vehicle struck the ground well off the roadway in the woods," the release states. "The vehicle then continued rolling side over side for an additional distance of 85 feet striking several trees before coming to rest in a ditch. The right front seat passenger was ejected via the broken out sun roof of the vehicle as it was coming to rest."

The Montgomery County Coroner’s Office on Sunday determined Mora-Lemus died from multi-injuries sustained in the crash. 

"Upon the defendant’s release from the hospital he was arrested by police," the release states. "In an earlier conversation with a police officer, while at the Reading Hospital, the defendant said he had enough of the USA and was going back to Mexico. Consequently, after his arrest the defendant was incarcerated so that he could not flee and Immigration and Nationalization Services placed a detainer on him so that he could not get out of prison even if he makes bail."

A preliminary hearing is scheduled before Magisterial District Judge Thomas A. Palladino at 10 a.m. May 2 at 1 Security Plaza, Suite 101 in Pottstown.  

The case will be prosecuted by Montgomery County Assistant District Attorney John Aitchison.