Murder charges filed in crash that killed Pennsylvania state troopers, man

Pennsylvania State Police

Troopers Martin Mack, 33, (left) and Branden Sisca, 29, were responding to a man walking along the highway at night when a driver fatally struck all three men.

(Philadelphia) — A woman has been charged with third-degree murder and vehicular homicide while driving under the influence in an early morning crash on a Philadelphia interstate that claimed the lives of two Pennsylvania troopers and a civilian.

State police said Tuesday that the charges against 21-year-old Jayana Tanae Webb of Eagleville would also include second-degree manslaughter of a law enforcement officer, involuntary manslaughter, recklessly endangering another person and driving under the influence.

It’s unclear whether Webb has an attorney; a listed number for her couldn’t be found Tuesday and the Defender Association of Philadelphia said there likely would be no comment if the office is asked to represent her.

Police on Tuesday identified the civilian killed as 28-year-old Reyes Rivera Oliveras of Allentown, who had been reported walking in the southbound lanes of I-95 near the sports stadiums in south Philadelphia early Monday.

Trooper Martin F. Mack III and Trooper Branden T. Sisca arrived around 12:45 a.m. Monday and were trying to take the man into custody and walk him back to their vehicle when another vehicle “traveling at a high rate of speed” struck all three, Capt. James Kemm said Monday. The three victims were pronounced dead at the scene.

Mack, 33, enlisted in November 2014 and has been assigned to the Philadelphia barracks since 2015. Sisca, 29, enlisted in February of last year and graduated in August. Col. Robert Evanchick, the state police commissioner, said they “made the ultimate sacrifice.” He said both “had bright careers ahead of them, and it saddens me to know how their lives were senselessly cut short.”

Gov. Tom Wolf ordered state flags to fly at half-staff through Friday, calling the case a reminder of the heroism of state troopers who “lay their lives on the line for all of us every day.”