State College man sentenced to jail for crash that killed Penn State student
A State College man on Thursday pleaded guilty to homicide by vehicle and was sentenced to 16 to 32 months in prison for an August 2021 crash that killed a Penn State student.
As part of the plea agreement, Alexander M. Hynoski, 20, will serve out his state prison sentence in the Centre County Correctional Facility.
Hynoski crashed a 2014 Subaru Impreza into a semi truck around 2:30 a.m. Aug. 4, 2021. His blood alcohol content was 0.07% — more than three times higher than the 0.02% threshold for DUI for those younger than 21. The crash killed his backseat passenger Elizabeth “Lizzy” Biddle, 20, a State College Area High School alumna who was pursuing a degree in communications at Penn State.
Hynoski drove past a stop sign to merge onto U.S. Route 322 in Potter Township, where he crashed into the semi truck. He told police he had consumed about four alcoholic drinks before driving. His front seat passenger, who declined further treatment, told police, “Alex was going way too fast.”
Lizzy’s father, Charles Biddle, was present and spoke before Hynoski was sentenced in Centre County Court. Barely holding back tears, he showed the courtroom photographs of his daughter — as a young girl, as a high schooler, as a college student, a traveler in Europe.
“You can tell she is proud of herself, and she knows we are proud of her too,” Charles said while holding up one of Lizzy’s State College Area High School graduation pictures.
“Mr. Hynoski,” Charles said, his voice steely as he addressed the defendant directly. “There isn’t anyone who doesn’t know what the legal drinking age is. .... Your decision to drink and get behind the wheel is unforgivable.”
In addition to the 16 to 32 months of jail time, Hynoski will serve a concurrent sentence of 48 hours to six months and pay a fine for driving under the influence as a minor, as well as a fine for a summary violation for incorrectly entering the highway. He will be under court supervision for 52 months following his release from jail.
Hynoski’s lawyer, Brian Manchester, did not return a request for comment.