A woman from Whitemarsh Township has been imprisoned for not stopping, helping, or calling 911 after hitting and killing a man while he was crossing the road.
Jennifer Ann Parker, 45, living on Butler Pike, has been given a prison sentence of 3½ to 10 years in connection with the pedestrian crash that killed Anthony Jonello, and for driving under the influence of marijuana on February 17, 2023.
Judge Risa Vetri Ferman told Parker that she failed to do the right thing by not stopping to help Jonello or calling 911 after hitting him and driving away.
Parker was given a sentence which included the three-year mandatory term for a hit-and-run involving death, with an additional six months added for her deceptive behavior after the incident.
Parker told police that her vehicle was damaged while driving behind a junk collection truck, but investigators found no evidence of junk on the roadway.
Investigators found no proof of junk on the road.
The jury didn't believe Parker's claim of a phantom truck and determined that she knew she had hit a person.
Judge Ferman stated that a sentence higher than the mandatory term was appropriate in this case.
Parker was found guilty of the charges during a three-day trial in January.
She also received a consecutive sentence of 72 hours to six months in prison for the DUI charge.
The case did not involve claims that Parker was impaired by marijuana at the time of the crash, only that she was driving with a controlled substance in her system, which is illegal.
Relatives of Jonello, deeply saddened, expressed their grief in court, describing him as a kind man who enjoyed gummy candy, grape soda, deep sea fishing, the beach, and working on his car.
Jill Caruso, Jonello’s sister, fought back tears as she showed photos of her brother and described him as smart, sentimental, and willing to help anyone.
Lily Jonello, his daughter, shared how much she misses her father and the important moments he will not be present for in her life.
Lily also expressed how much she wishes she could talk to her father one last time and how she will always wonder if he was afraid at the end.
Jonello’s mother, Lucille, wrote a letter that was read in court, expressing her ongoing anguish about her son’s final moments.
Lucille Jonello wrote, “Your actions caused our son’s death in a quick, terrible moment. You left him there by himself. That’s the image I can’t get out of my head.”
Prosecutor Gabriella Glenning argued for a sentence longer than the required three years.
Glenning stated that they sought a sentence that would reflect the defendant's efforts to deny her actions and the missed opportunities to call for help. She added that a strict sentence can discourage other drivers from failing to stop and provide aid after a crash.
Parker issued a brief apology.
Parker addressed Jonello’s relatives, saying, “I am deeply sorry. Not a single hour passes without me thinking about the pain and grief I caused your family.”
Defense lawyer Meredith Dominguez argued for a sentence no longer than the mandatory three years for Parker.
Dominguez defended Parker, stating, “Miss Parker is not a bad person. She would never intentionally harm another person. It’s something that will haunt her for the rest of her life.”
Dominguez requested one day for Parker to report to prison so she could spend a final night with her three teenage daughters. Glenning opposed the delay, arguing that “this is something that she had known was coming for months.”
Ferman denied Parker’s request, and she was immediately taken into custody by sheriff’s deputies to begin serving the sentence.
During the trial, Glenning argued that evidence, including damage to Parker’s vehicle, indicated that she was aware of hitting a person and still left.
Parker, who was represented during the trial by defense lawyer Alexander Lassoff, did not testify during the trial.
The investigation began about 8:57 p.m. Feb. 17 when Whitemarsh police responded to the scene of a hit-and-run pedestrian crash in front of a residence in the 1800 block of Butler Pike. Arriving officers found an unresponsive male, later identified as Jonello, lying in the northbound lane of Butler Pike, a two-lane divided roadway, according to the criminal complaint filed by Whitemarsh Police Officer John Hartman.
“Jonello was found in the middle of the northbound lane and was observed to have significant head trauma, along with other injuries,” Hartman alleged. “Jonello was dressed in dark pants and a dark hooded sweatshirt along with a reflective yellow vest. Police were informed that the striking vehicle fled the scene of the crash.”
Jonello was transported to a local hospital where he eventually succumbed due to his injuries, Hartman said.
An autopsy determined Jonello suffered a broken neck, a skull fracture, a broken pelvis, a lower right leg fracture and multiple abrasions, injuries consistent with being struck by a vehicle on the right side of his body.
Around 9:09 p.m. police saw a black Honda Pilot vehicle with significant front-end damage, being driven by Parker, in the area of the crash and stopped the vehicle as it was trying to leave the Sherry Lake Apartment complex onto Butler Pike.
“The Honda Pilot had front bumper, grill, and hood damage matching hitting a pedestrian,” Hartman claimed. “Also discovered on the vehicle was a yellow neon fabric stuck in the damaged part of the front hood, along with fabric residue that seemed to match the color of Jonello’s reflective vest.”
While Parker stated the damage resulted from hitting debris that fell from a junk truck, she also continued on her journey to pick up her daughter from work at the Plymouth Square Shopping Center, court documents indicate.
Upon returning home, Parker was stopped by police who noticed the damage to her vehicle.
A subsequent blood test found marijuana metabolites in Parker’s bloodstream, according to court documents.
The investigation revealed no pre-impact braking by Parker’s vehicle at the scene and proof of Jonello’s shoe dragging along the roadway during the impact, police said.
Police found a flashlight, similar to one found at the crash site, at the bottom of the windshield, near the windshield wipers, of Parker’s vehicle. Relatives of Jonello told police Jonello was known to carry flashlights with him.
The investigation concluded that Jonello left a store in the 1700 block of Butler Pike at 8:51 p.m., walked north on Butler Pike, and crossed Butler Pike in the area of Kirk Street, from the west side to the east side. Jonello cleared the southbound lane and the center two-way left turn lane when he was hit in the northbound lane by Parker’s Honda, authorities alleged.
“Jonello briefly went onto the hood before being thrown into the air over the vehicle and landing onto the pavement. Parker continued north from the scene without stopping, providing aid, or contacting police,” Hartman alleged.
Investigators obtained video surveillance footage from several sources during the investigation. One video showed Parker at the Plymouth Square Shopping Center after the crash, getting out of her vehicle to use her phone to take a photo of the damage to her vehicle before returning to the vehicle, according to the arrest affidavit.
