Bowman charged in his brothers death

Man charged in 2010 vehicular death of brother

Robert Elwood Bowman Jr., 24, of Windsor Township, faces homicide by vehicle and other charges
Daily Record/Sunday News
reposted by breathalyzermd.com



Robert Elwood Bowman Jr. (SUBMITTED)
York, PA - Charges against a Windsor Township man -- alleging he killed his brother in a car crash while under the influence of alcohol and drugs -- have been transferred to the York County Court of Common Pleas.
The charges against Robert Elwood Bowman Jr., 24, of the 700 block of Taylor Road, were bound for the higher court following a preliminary hearing before District Judge John H. Fishel on Aug. 22.
Bowman is charged with homicide by vehicle while DUI, four counts of DUI -- for both alcohol and drugs -- careless driving, and speeding.
Bowman was driving a car on Nov. 26, 2010 in Windsor Township when it crashed, killing his brother, Tre Parker, according to charging documents.
Parker, 19, of Lower Windsor Township, was a 2009 graduate of Eastern York Senior High School, and a distinguished student and athlete, according to his obituary.
It took investigators several months to reconstruct the crash, conduct interviews and consult with the York County District Attorney's Office before filing charges, York Area Regional Police Sgt. Rod Varner said Thursday.
Police say their investigation found that Witmer Road was wet prior to the crash from an overnight rain, and that the road where the crash occurred had about a 12-percent downgrade.
Bowman made no attempt to steer through the road's curve, or to take evasive actions, including braking, once the car began to careen off the road, according to charging documents.
Neither Bowman, not his attorney, Bill Graff, could be reached for comment Thursday.
Bowman's next court date is an arraignment in county court on Sept. 30.
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York Area Regional Police, along with rescue personnel, were sent to Witmer Road at 4:34 a.m., where they found a 1993 Toyota Tercel on the road, with pieces of a broken utility pole and power lines lying on top of it.
When police arrived, Bowman, who was outside the car, asking responders to help his brother, who was still inside.
Bowman was "extremely upset and would not follow the officers instructions so they took him into custody," according to charging documents.
An officer spoke with Bowman, who said that he and his brother had left a club and were driving down a hill on Witmer Road when they struck the pole, according to charging documents.
Bowman smelled of marijuana and alcohol, according to charging documents. He was later taken to York Hospital for treatment.
Police found Parker -- who they later determined owned the Toyota -- unresponsive in the front seat of the car. Parker was later pronounced dead at the scene by the York County Coroner's Office.