Trial begins for man accused of causing deadly Thanksgiving Day crash

PITTSBURGH — Channel 11 was in the courtroom Thursday for the first day of testimony in the third degree murder trial of Demetrius Coleman, who is accused in a Thanksgiving Day accident that killed a local family.

David Bianco, his fiancée, Kaylie Meininger, and their 2 year old daughter Annika died when their burst into flames after being hit on Route 30 in North Huntingdon. Coleman was the driver of that other car.

So far, jurors were shown the surveillance video from the gas station where police first stopped Coleman for making an illegal left turn. Police said he was driving without a valid license and was also wanted on an outstanding drug warrant.

When an East McKeesport police officer was calling for backup, Coleman allegedly sped off out of the parking lot, nearly hitting another vehicle.

Coleman's defense attorney did not argue about whether his client was driving, but argued he did not intend for the crash to happen.

Channel 11 will continue to monitor this trial. Download the WPXI News App for the latest updates

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Cox Media Group