Ellen Kievit dies in fatal Carlisle sidewalk car crash

Ellen Kievit dies in fatal Carlisle sidewalk car crash

Fatal Carlisle car crash death of Ellen Kievit – Obituary

Ellen Kievit, 73, was killed and her husband critically injured after a vehicle driven by Martin L. Brinton veered off the road and struck them while they were walking along a sidewalk in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. The tragic event occurred Friday evening, just a short distance from the couple’s home.

Brinton, 57, had reportedly left the Fraternal Order of Eagles social club minutes before the crash. He told police he consumed two beers and a mixed drink prior to getting behind the wheel. As he traveled west on East Pomfret Street, he claimed a sudden coughing episode caused him to black out. His car continued at a high speed through the intersection at South Hanover Street before jumping the curb and hitting the couple on the sidewalk.

Ellen, remembered for her dedication to her Roman Catholic parish and community involvement, was pronounced dead about half an hour after the collision. Her husband, James Kievit, a retired Army officer and former professor at the U.S. Army War College, remains in critical condition at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.

After the vehicle struck the Kievits, it crashed into the Pomfret Street Apartment building where it came to a stop. Responding officers noted a strong smell of alcohol on Brinton, who later admitted to drinking alcohol at the bar.

Brinton now faces felony charges, including vehicular homicide while driving under the influence, and is currently being held at Cumberland County Prison on $250,000 bail.