Ardsley Man Sentenced for January Fatal Crash

Donald Dinkins III, of Penn Avenue, Ardsley, pled guilty Tuesday morning to homicide by vehicle in the Jan. 27 death of a 50-year-old pedestrian from Pottstown,  according to a Phillyburbs.com story.

According to the story, Dinkins was sentenced to 11-and-a-half to 23 months in prison following a plea agreement at the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas.

See that article here.

According to an earlier Abington Patch article, Dinkins struck the woman on Easton Road in Horsham; speed, alcohol and marijuana were thought to be contributing factors in the crash.

The crash killed Sharon Minnick of Pottstown; she was pronounced dead on the scene. 

"Based upon the post-impact roadway evidence left by the Dinkins vehicle, Detective (Robert) Turner determined that the minimum speed of the Dinkins vehicle was 59 miles per hour," according to an excerpt in the six-page affidavit of probable cause. "Detective Turner also determined that if the Dinkins vehicle had been proceeding at or near the posted speed limit of 45 miles per hour that Ms. Minnick could have completely crossed the roadway without being struck."

Police said that Minnick was 18 inches shy of completely crossing the heavily traveled four-lane roadway. 

Authorities said said they could not determine why Minnick was attempting to cross busy Easton Road at night, while wearing dark-colored clothing at the time of the crash, which occurred at 8:38 p.m. in the area of Girard Avenue.

According to court documents, Dinkins also pled guilty to simple assault in Bucks County in January of last year and was sentenced to a minimum of 12 months’ probation. 

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Hatboro-Horsham Patch Editor Theresa Katalinas contributed to this article.