CHELTENHAM — A Philadelphia man has to go to trial in Montgomery County Court because he was driving too fast, had alcohol in his blood, and was driving without a license when he caused a two-vehicle crash in Cheltenham Township that led to the death of a woman in the second vehicle.
Shaikan Pitts, 37, of the 1400 block of Shelmire Street, was ordered to stand trial after a preliminary hearing before District Court Judge R. Emmett Madden, on charges of homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence, aggravated assault by vehicle while DUI, accidents involving death or personal injury while not properly licensed, DUI general impairment, speeding and reckless and careless driving in connection with the Nov. 25, 2023, crash on Old York Road that resulted in the death of 33-year-old Laishah “Nala” Kendra Holloman.
A conviction of the charge of homicide by vehicle while DUI can carry a mandatory three-year prison term.
During the preliminary hearing, defense lawyer Paul Jared Mallis tried to dismiss the most serious charge, homicide by vehicle while DUI, claiming that prosecutors do not have enough evidence to show that alcohol impairment caused the crash.
“This is a speeding case, in the nighttime, in the dark. There’s no evidence that alcohol played a role in this. There’s no connection to impairment. He was speeding. His rate of speed was to such a degree that sadly, this was an unavoidable crash. Speed was the only factor that caused the crash,” Mallis suggested.
At the time Pitts was arrested, authorities alleged Pitts had a blood alcohol content of 0.135%, which is more than the legal limit of 0.08%. The DUI charge that was held for trial now reflects “general impairment” without a blood alcohol content listed.
Pitts now faces a June 26 formal arraignment hearing in county court. After that hearing, a county judge will set a trial date for Pitts.
Pitts remains in the county jail in lieu of $90,000 cash bail while awaiting trial.
Holloman, who was born in Orange, N.J., was employed by Wyncote Academy as the farm manager and the educator of outdoor agriculture, according to her obituary.
The investigation began about 5:53 p.m. Nov. 25 when Cheltenham police responded to the area of Old York Road and Spring Avenue, in the Elkins Park section of the township, for a report of a vehicle crash involving a 2011 Nissan Rogue operated by Pitts and a white Ford van operated by Holloman, according to a criminal complaint filed by Cheltenham Township Police Officer Justin Sneeringer.
“The crash was reported to have an overturned vehicle, and a person trapped underneath the overturned vehicle,” Sneeringer wrote in the arrest affidavit.
Arriving officers found Holloman trapped underneath her white Ford van.
Investigators determined Pitts was traveling northbound on Old York Road “at a high rate of speed” and collided with Holloman’s van as she was exiting a private driveway, according to the criminal complaint. Holloman was attempting to enter Old York Road and proceed southbound, requiring her to cross over the northbound lanes from the private driveway she was exiting, police said.
The Nissan hit the van's driver's side door so hard that it made the van spin and flip over, according to the police.
Holloman was partly thrown out of the van's window and got stuck between the driver's door and the ground due to the forceful movement, as alleged in court documents.
Emergency medical responders declared Holloman dead at the scene.
Pitts stayed at the crash site.
Evidence from the investigation showed that Pitts was driving at 69 mph in a 40 mph zone at the time of the crash, and there were no signs of braking or avoiding the collision by the Nissan, as alleged by Sneeringer.
According to the police, if Pitts had been driving at the speed limit, he could have seen Holloman's vehicle and had enough distance to avoid hitting it.
Police also noted the smell of alcohol on Pitts' breath.
The investigation revealed that Pitts never had a valid driver's license.
