Jury reaches verdict in trial for Boalsburg woman charged in fatal 2018 crash
A Boalsburg woman accused of driving recklessly when she caused a fatal crash was found not guilty Wednesday.
Nine women and three men deliberated for about 30 minutes before acquitting Nailah Oliver of all charges after a three-day trial.
Oliver, 22, was found not guilty of one felony count of homicide by vehicle, two misdemeanor counts of recklessly endangering another person and one misdemeanor count of involuntary manslaughter.
She wiped tears from her face and hugged defense lawyer Julian Allatt after the jury read its verdict. The two were “extremely pleased” with the jury’s decision, Allatt said.
“Today is not a day for celebration. As I said many times throughout the trial — and as Ms. Oliver explained when she testified in this case — Robert Bloom’s death was the result of a tragic and senseless accident and today’s verdict does not change that,” Allatt said. “The Bloom family will always be in my thoughts. I can’t imagine the pain and anguish Reece and the family have had to endure. They have my deepest and most sincere sympathy for their loss.”
Oliver lost control of a 2001 Chevrolet Malibu during rush hour along the Mount Nittany Expressway. The highway was wet when she lost control, crossed the median, drove into oncoming traffic and slammed into a 2016 Ford Focus driven by Robert Bloom.
Bloom, 47, of Bellefonte, died of blunt force trauma. His son, Reece, was injured in the September 2018 crash.
At issue was the speed at which Oliver was driving and the reliability of the data extracted from the green sedan driven by Oliver.
She estimated her speed at no more than 65 mph in three interviews with State College police, while a witness estimated Oliver was driving about 70 mph. The speed limit is 55 mph.
A state police crash reconstruction specialist said Oliver was driving about 84 mph five seconds before the crash. The data, Centre County prosecutors said, showed Oliver made no attempt to brake before the crash.
The Bloom family declined comment through a victim advocate before the verdict was read. Centre County District Attorney Bernie Cantorna offered a succinct message.
“We respect the jury’s verdict and thank them for their service,” the county’s top prosecutor said.
Oliver was found guilty of four summary traffic violations by county Judge Jonathan Grine. She was fined $100.
This story was originally published June 9, 2021 at 5:35 PM.