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Jeannette man drowns in Jamaica awaiting fatality trial

JEANNETTE, Pa. — A western Pennsylvania man who drowned while swimming off the coast of a popular Jamaican resort town was awaiting trial for vehicular homicide in Pennsylvania.

Greensburg defense attorney Kenneth Burkley tells the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that the dead man was his client, 43-year-old David McCormick, of Jeannette. That's located about 25 miles east of Pittsburgh.
The Jamaica Constabulary Force said in a statement Sunday that McCormick was swimming off the beach town of Negril when he got into difficulties and "drowned before help could reach him." He had been staying at a nearby resort.
McCormick had been scheduled for trial in August on drunken driving and vehicular homicide charges stemming from an Oct. 9 crash that killed Francis Cossick of Murrysville.
Burkley says McCormick was barred from driving while awaiting trial.