Travis Grayson, 20, told police he “had smoked a bowl of marijuana,” and consumed “a total of 10 Milwaukee Best Beers,” from 12 p.m. until a little after 10 p.m., Monday when he left to go visit a friend.
“I was driving like a stupid idiot,” and “went around the bend ‘like a retard’” Grayson said, police allege.
At the time of the accident Grayson was traveling between 50-55 mph in his 2004 Ford Mustang, in a 25 mph zone. As he rounded, a curve in a residential area of Shaler Township, Grayson struck a mailbox then swerved into the yard where Amber Campbell was standing with her daughter Ava.
Campbell told police she was standing in the their front yard with her daughter when “She heard a car engine roaring and tires squealing. She then said she saw the car swerve into the yard and remembers being thrown in the air and hitting the ground,” police allege.
The girl was taken to Children’s Hospital and was pronounced dead at 2:20 a.m., Tuesday. She suffered massive internal injuries, a fractured pelvis and her “right lung was damaged beyond repair,” the court document said.
Police were not able to administer field sobriety tests to Grayson at the scene because a large hostile crowd was gathering. Some had prevented Grayson from leaving the scene “which he attempted to do prior to police arrival,” police alleged in the court document.
A preliminary breath test given to Grayson by police was positive for alcohol.
After being taken to a local hospital where his blood was drawn, Grayson was transported to the police station where he waived his right to a lawyer and told police what happened, the court document states.
Since 2013 and as late as July 13, Grayson has been charged with the purchase or consumption of alcohol by a minor three times and has been convicted twice court records show.
Grayson’s first charge was on May 13, 2013 when he was found guilty of purchasing or consuming alcohol as a minor and sentenced to community service in lieu of paying a $675.00 fine, and was ordered to complete an alcohol abuse class.
Just six months later on February 25, 2014 Grayson was again arrested and charged with purchasing or consuming alcohol by a minor, which was dismissed on July, 1, 2014.
On July 13 Grayson was arrested and convicted of purchasing and consuming alcohol by a minor in Shaler Township. He was ordered to pay a fine of $465.00 court records show. The payment was posted on September 30 — two days after the fatal crash.
Grayson ifaces multiple charges including manslaughter, several driving under the invluence charges, aggravated assault by vehicle and homicide by vehicle.
He remains in the Allegheny County Jail and bond has been set at $200,000.
Donations are being accepted to help defray Ava’s funeral costs. A listing can be found here. Ava’s funeral is scheduled for Friday at 10 a.m.
