Over the objections of the victim's family members, who wanted her sent to prison, a Northeast Philadelphia woman on Wednesday was sentenced to probation in a fatal accident that claimed the life of a Bucks County man last year.
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Under a plea agreement, Jennifer Coyle, 33, pleaded no contest in Bucks County Court to charges that included involuntary manslaughter, and was placed on three to five years probation. She also is required to attend drug and alcohol evaluations.
Assistant District Attorney Jonathan Long said prosecutors had opted for a "guaranteed" resolution in what he called a "tough case."
On Oct. 27, 2015, after having three beers and three shots of whiskey at the MilkBoy bar with friends in the city, Coyle departed around 6:15 to catch a train to Torresdale, she told police. Andrew Miller, 29, was working at the Convention Center at the time and took the same line. It pulled into their station around 7:15, and Miller began walking along State Road towards his apartment.
Coyle, who was driving from the station in her SUV, said she recalled hitting something on the shoulder of the road, and found black hair among the cracked windshield's damage. But she said that neither she nor her husband, whom she had summoned to assess the damage to her car, could find who or what she had hit. The next morning, when Miller's body was discovered by a passerby, the Coyles reported the incident to Bensalem police.
The reporting delay ruled out the possibility of determining Coyle's blood-alcohol level at the time of the accident.
At sentencing, Miller's family expressed outrage.
"She left my sweet son to die on the side of the road as if he were a piece of trash," the victim's mother, Janice Tilmann, said through tears. "I feel that justice is not being done on behalf of Andrew.
"I can't fathom how she could just hit someone and not call 911."
Judge John Rufe was sympathetic, but said that after all his years of presiding over complex and fraught cases, he was unable to say much that would placate the family. "Life is not fair and we do not get equal rewards for equal pains," Rufe said.
Busico said the plea was a product of his client's cooperation. "Justice was absolutely served. All the attorneys as well as a very seasoned senior judge believed this resolution was appropriate. Keep in mind, but for the action of Jennifer Coyle going to the police department, telling them what happened and answering their questions, this incident may never have been solved. She was instrumental in resolving this case."
The enmity between the families was evident when Coyle's attorney, Louis R. Busico, noted that Coyle's loved ones had reached out to express their condolences. Members of Miller's family and friends indicated they were unaware of such gestures.
When they filed out, Coyle and her supporters were held back for a short period to avert any incidents. Turning to face them, Coyle wiped away tears and mouthed the words, "It's over."
cshaw@philly.com 610-313-8119 @coltshaw_
The Philadelphia Inquirer
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