Driver Who Killed Plum Woman Sentenced to Jail

A Point Breeze man has been sentenced to jail after pleading guilty to several charges stemming from a May 12, 2012, car accident in Penn Hills that killed a Plum woman and injured her young son.

Duane Woodson, 51, is facing 5 to 10 years in prison, according to court documents. In October, he pleaded guilty to charges of vehicular homicide while driving under the influence, aggravated assault by vehicle while driving under the influence, vehicular homicide, aggravated assault by vehicle, involuntary manslaughter, driving under the influence with a suspended license, driving with a suspended license, two counts of accidents involving death, two counts of accidents involving death while not being properly licensed, three counts of driving under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance and four traffic violations.

Christine Beilstein, 45, of Plum Borough was pronounced dead at the scene of the head-on collision on Milltown Road in Penn Hills—very close to the Plum border. Her young son, Justin, who was 9 at the time of the accident and is a fourth-grader at Regency Park Elementary, has continued to be treated for injuries sustained in the crash. 

Woodson, who also had been charged with a number of drug, traffic and disorderly conduct violations in the county since 2004, is accused of driving his tow truck over the center line. He has been in jail since the day of the accident.

Last October, the Plum Borough Education Association held a fundraiser for the Beilstein family. Anyone interested in donating to the Beilstein Children Memorial Fund can do so at their local S&T Bank.

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