West Newton man charged with criminal homicide after Sewickley Township crash

Pennsylvania State Police, working with the Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office, charged West Newton resident Ryan Thompson with criminal homicide, homicide by vehicle and related counts after a July 16, 2026 crash on Lowber Road left motorcyclist Roy Holliday fatally injured. Surveillance footage purportedly shows a champagne-colored crew cab truck striking the motorcycle; police say the truck was registered to the victim’s girlfriend and found at Thompson’s residence with fresh front-end damage. Cellphone location data placed both Holliday and Thompson near the crash scene before Thompson’s phone disconnected; he was denied bail.