Nescopeck man pleads guilty to killing mother, driving vehicle into crowd

BLOOMSBURG — A Nescopeck man accused of killing his mother outside their residence and intentionally driving a vehicle into a crowd, killing a Wilkes-Barre woman and injuring 17 people, pleaded guilty to homicide related offenses Wednesday.

Adrian Oswaldo Sura Reyes, 25, was accused by state police at Bloomsburg and Shickshinny of striking his mother, Rosa D. Reyes, 56, with a vehicle and then assaulting her with a hammer at their home on Ridgewood Avenue on Aug. 13.

Prior to killing his mother, state police in court records say Sura Reyes drove the vehicle into a crowd gathered at a fundraiser at the Intoxicology Department tavern in Berwick.

The fundraiser was held to benefit the family impacted by a fire in Nescopeck that claimed the lives of 10 people on Aug. 5.

Rebecca Reese, 50, of Wilkes-Barre, died at the scene when struck, while 17 other people were seriously injured.

Court records say Sura Reyes got into a fight with his mother and drove to Berwick, where he intentionally drove through the fundraiser.

After the mass casualty incident in Berwick, Sura Reyes returned to his residence and killed his mother, court records say.

Sura Reyes appeared before Columbia County President Judge Gary E. Norton, where he pled guilty to two counts of first-degree murder and 19 counts of criminal attempt to commit homicide.

Sura Reyes faces a mandatory life in prison. A sentencing date has not been scheduled.

Sura Reyes remains jailed at the Columbia County Prison.

In exchange for the guilty plea, prosecutors in Columbia County withdrew the death penalty against Sura Reyes.