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WILKES-BARRE — A county judge has made a determination about what evidence can be used in the long-postponed trial against a man who allegedly ran over a young woman while on his way home from a strip club, killing her.
Daniel Loughnane, 46, of Hanover Township, allegedly ran over Rebecca McCallick, 19, on July 24, 2012. McCallick allegedly had been using marijuana and was lying in Hazle Street in Wilkes-Barre.
Loughnane allegedly ran her over and fled the scene. He was on his way home from Gentleman’s Club 10 in Wilkes-Barre Township.
The man’s attorney, Peter Paul Olszewski, filed a motion last week, asking for certain evidence to be barred from the trial after an appellate court ruled Loughnane’s truck had been illegally seized.
On Tuesday, Luzerne County Judge Michael T. Vough issued an order that prohibits prosecutors from using any information regarding the truck that came about after its seizure. However, prosecutors will be allowed to use information about the truck from before its seizure, including witness testimony.
Both prosecutors and the defense team will be barred from suggesting Loughnane had been consuming alcohol before striking McCallick unless one witness, Paula Bell Thomas, testifies that Loughnane allegedly admitted to her that he had been drinking.
Loughnane’s trial is scheduled to commence on Oct. 15.