Pottstown Crash That Killed Mom In August Was Homicide By Vehicle, DUI: Montco DA

POTTSTOWN, PA — A driver police allege was drug-impaired, unlicensed, and going more than 70 in a 25 mile-per-hour zone in Pottstown caused a crash that killed a single mom who worked at Wawa and a pizza restaurant. He now faces charges of homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence.

Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele and Pottstown Police Chief Mick Markovich announced charges against Symere Butler, 30, of Pottstown, of homicide by vehicle–DUI and related charges in the Aug. 3 crash that killed Nicole Benzenhafer, who was 35.

The fatal crash happened after 10 p.m. that Tuesday as Butler crashed and flipped his own vehicle, landing in the wrong lane and facing the wrong direction, causing the violent head-on collision that killed the single mother from Pottstown, according to the District Attorney.

A pedestrian flagged down a Pottstown police car to report the crash at nearby Queen and Madison streets. Officers reportedly found the three-vehicle crash involving a parked Toyota Tacoma, a Chevrolet Equinox driven by Benzenhafer, and a Chevrolet Impala, driven by Butler.

Police reports said Benzenhafer had to be extracted from the Equinox and was then transported to Reading Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Butler crawled out of his vehicle and was transported to Reading Hospital, where he was treated and later released. The Tacoma was legally parked and unoccupied at the time of the crash, the D.A.'s report said.

Pottstown Police and Montgomery County Detectives investigated and reconstructed the scene and determined the Impala driven by Butler had been speeding westbound on Queen Street toward the intersection with Madison Street, going between 71 and 73 miles per hour in a 25-mile-per-hour zone, the report said.

The D.A.'s report said the excessive speed forced the Impala airborne at the intersection, landing on the opposite side of the intersection, now traveling westbound in the eastbound lane of Queen Street. The Butler vehicle then hit Benzenhafer's Equinox in a violent head-on impact, forcing the Equinox to move 108 feet before coming to a rest facing eastbound in the westbound lane.

The Butler vehicle then struck the parked Tacoma pick-up truck before coming to a rest.

Toxicology tests conducted on Butler's blood showed that his blood contained fentanyl and THC.

The crash investigation determined that Butler's level of impairment as well as the speed and manner in which he was operating his vehicle, without a driver’s license, was the cause of the crash that killed Benzenhafer.

Butler has been charged with homicide by vehicle while under the influence, accident involving death while not licensed, DUI and related charges.

He was arraigned by Magisterial District Judge Edward Kropp Sr., who set bail at $500,000 cash.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 8 a.m., Sept. 23 in Montgomery County.

The case will be prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Bridget Gallagher, a member of the Pottstown Community Justice Unit.

Benzenhafer's obituary said she was born in Phoenixville and worked at both Wawa in Royersford and Mike's Brick Oven Pizza in Pottstown. She was the daughter of the late John David Benzenhafer and Sheila Susan (Whitehair) Anderson.

A GoFundMe page said Benzenhafer was a single mother to a pre-teen son. "She worked two jobs and spent her free time with her long-time boyfriend Kevin Priotte and his daughter, who Nikki immediately treated like her own," the organizer wrote. The page said she had no insurance. So far, $25,259 has been raised. Read about the fund to support Benzenhafer's family with expenses after her death, here.

Shortly after the fatal crash, a petition was posted on change.org, aimed at Pottstown Borough officials to address reckless driving in the Borough.

Make sure you know what's happening in your town. Sign up to get Patch emails and don't miss any local news: https://patch.com/subscribe.