Woman to be charged in connection with crash that killed a Centre County woman
A woman is to be charged with DUI after a Centre County woman was killed in a November crash near Gettysburg.
Pamela Dunn, 57, of Lackawanna County, will be charged with three misdemeanor counts of DUI and one summary count of driving with a suspended driver’s license, Cumberland Township police told the Centre Daily Times.
No charges were filed as of Monday and it was not known if she had a defense lawyer who could speak on her behalf. Adams County Assistant District Attorney Robert Bain said Tuesday that Dunn tested positive for alcohol and controlled substances.
Mary Neale, 79, of Centre Hall, died of blunt force injuries after two SUVs crashed about 10:30 a.m. Nov. 1 on U.S. Route 15 in Adams County.
Cumberland Township police said in an email Sunday that investigators were unable to determine who was at fault for the crash. Adams County Chief Deputy Coroner Scott Pennewill previously said both drivers were heading southbound.
Police said the crash was similar to a law enforcement tactic in which police officers drive next to fleeing suspects, match the car’s speed and then nudge the rear corner of the vehicle behind the back wheel. The maneuver is designed to force the fleeing vehicle to spin out safely.
Neale’s vehicle did not. The SUV abruptly turned sideways and rolled over, police said. She died at WellSpan Gettysburg Hospital. Her death was ruled accidental. Her husband, Robert, was treated for minimal injuries and later released.
The two were married for 55 years, according to her obituary. The family said their marriage was the manifestation of a commitment to God, each other, their five children and 10 grandchildren.
A proud Texan, Neale was born and raised in coastal Corpus Christi. She was the first of her family to attend college and later earned a master’s degree from Trinity College in Washington, D.C. She then worked as a high school guidance counselor.
The Neales retired to Centre Hall, where their family said they fervently cheered on their children’s alma mater — Penn State.
She is survived by four of her five children. Her youngest son, Stephen, died in a 2000 car crash. He was 21.
“Although her absence here on earth feels unbearable, we take comfort knowing she is finally reunited in heaven with her youngest son,” the family wrote in her obituary.
This story was originally published May 5, 2025 at 12:25 PM.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this story included the incorrect name of the woman charged in connection to the crash.