Pittsburgh woman pleads guilty to fatal Route 51 crash that killed her cousin

A Pittsburgh woman who had been driving more than 100 mph pleaded guilty Monday to homicide by vehicle for killing her cousin in a crash on Route 51 in February.

Allison Matthew, 27, of the North Side, will appear before Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Jill E. Rangos on Feb. 14 to be sentenced. She also pleaded guilty to driving under the influence, reckless driving and speeding.

Matthew’s blood-alcohol content at the time of the crash was 0.184% — more than twice the legal limit of 0.08%.

Pittsburgh police said Matthew was driving on Saw Mill Run Boulevard the night of Feb. 6 when she lost control of her car near Woodruff Street. Both Matthew and her cousin, Katherine Barvilchak, were ejected from the car.

Barvilchak, 26, of Pittsburgh was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. Matthew was taken to UPMC Mercy in critical condition.

Surveillance cameras from near the 2600 block of Brownsville Road showed Matthew getting into the driver’s seat of the car and driving off about 11:20 p.m., according to a criminal complaint filed in the case.

The crash occurred seven minutes later. Police said the car sheared off a utility pole and struck large landscaping rocks before rolling several times.

The car’s event data recorder showed that Matthew was traveling 101.9 mph five seconds before the crash and 89.5 mph at the time of impact, the complaint said.

The speed limit in that area of Route 51 is 35.

Matthew was arrested May 26 and released on nonmonetary bond.

A charge of homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence was withdrawn at Monday’s hearing. It carries a mandatory state prison term of three to six years.