Bellefonte — The Milesburg man police said lied about being the driver in the crash that killed his wife has been released from jail after a judge changed his bail Wednesday.

David Bartley, 49, was in court but ended up waiving his right to a preliminary hearing on homicide by vehicle while DUI and related charges.

District Judge Carmine Prestia ordered Bartley to stay away from drugs or alcohol as part of the changes to his bail conditions. Bartley was able to be released after Prestia changed bail from $50,000 straight bail to $50,000 unsecured, which means he does not have to put up collateral.

Police allege Bartley was under the influence of prescription pills during the fatal crash July 3 along Benner Pike in College Township.

Bartley lost control of his SUV and crashed into a telephone pole near Tractor Supply Co., killing his wife, Susan Bartley, 43, police said.

Initially, David Bartley told police his wife was driving, but later in July he admitted his wife asked him to drive because she wasn’t feeling well, police said.

Toxicology tests showed the husband was under the influence of oxycodone, a narcotic painkiller, and alprazolam, which is used to treat anxiety, at the time of the crash.

His wife’s autopsy showed she did not have drugs or alcohol in her system.

Police have said Bartley maintains the crash happened as he swerved to miss another car in the center of the road.

Witnesses, however, told police there was no car in Bartley’s path. One witness reportedly was in front of Bartley’s vehicle and saw him driving erratically just before the crash.

Others who saw the crash said David Bartley got out of the vehicle from the driver’s side door. Susan Bartley was found just outside the passenger side door and pronounced dead at the scene.

Mike Dawson can be reached at 231-4616. Follow him on Twitter@MikeDawsonCDT.