Tipster leads troopers to suspect in fatal East Huntingdon hit-and-run
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A week after Robert “Bobby” Sheele was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver on March 31 while he walked in East Huntingdon, a tipster called state police to say a Fayette County man was bragging that he would get away with the crime.
The tipster later agreed to meet with the suspect, William P. Williams, 26, of Bullskin Township, and secretly record his comments about the early morning collision that killed Sheele, 64, along the portion of the Coal and Coke Trail that crosses Mt. Pleasant Connellsville Road.
As a result of the recording and investigation by state police, Williams was arrested Friday on multiple criminal charges, including homicide by vehicle, aggravated assault by vehicle, failing to stop for accidents involving death, failing to yield the right of way, leaving the scene of an accident, reckless driving and failing to stop and render aid.
He was ordered held in the county jail on $50,000 bond set by Monessen District Judge Wayne Vlasic.
“I’m glad they caught the guy… the whole family’s glad they made an arrest,” said victim’s oldest brother, James Sheele, 74, of Mt. Pleasant. “Troopers told me (Williams) only lives 1.7 miles away from where Bobby was hit.”
Robert Sheele of Mt. Pleasant died at the scene.
Ashley Hixson, who lives along the two-lane highway, said she let her dogs out about 7 a.m. when she noticed someone laying in the yard next to her house.
The elder Sheele said his brother loved to walk the trail “rain, snow or shine.”
“He never missed a day,” James Sheele said.
State police reported Bobby Sheele was wearing an orange jacket, dark pants and appeared to be carrying a flashlight when he was hit.
According to court documents filed with East Huntingdon District Judge Charles Moore, Williams initially called the tipster April 6 to ask whether they had “seen the story on the news about the man being struck and killed.” He had not, the tipster told troopers. Williams proceeded to tell them that that he was driving to his home on Laurel View Drive when he struck and killed Sheele.
According to court documents, Williams said he had worked an overnight shift at Standard Envelope in Greensburg and intended “to alter his time card at work to make it appear impossible for him to have been involved in the accident.”
Williams did not believe he would get caught because police were looking for a gold minivan and he drives a silver Mazda car and a red pickup truck, the tipster said Williams told him.
Troopers Robert Politowski and Brandon Yeager said in an April 11 recorded conversation, Williams told the tipster that “he fell asleep while driving, prior to hitting the victim.”
“Williams admitted to stopping before speeding off,” Politowski said in court documents.
Politowski reported that Williams would not speak to troopers without an attorney. Police subsequently acquired a warrant to seize both his car and pickup truck for forensic tests and his cell telephone for digital forensic tests.
For four days after the crash, Politowski said forensic tests showed Williams used his phone numerous times to search the name “Bobby Sheele.”
Coworkers reported that Williams told them that he was driving his pickup because “the Mazda was inoperable.”
A preliminary hearing is scheduled Sept. 9 before East Huntingdon District Judge Charles Moore. Williams did not have an attorney listed in court documents.