CHELTENHAM — A Philadelphia man must answer to charges in Montgomery County Court that he was speeding, had alcohol in his bloodstream and was driving without a license when he caused a two-vehicle crash in Cheltenham Township that killed a woman in the second vehicle.
Shaikan Pitts, 37, of the 1400 block of Shelmire Street, was held for trial, after a preliminary hearing before District Court Judge R. Emmett Madden, on charges of homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence, aggravated assault by vehicle while DUI, accidents involving death or personal injury while not properly licensed, DUI general impairment, speeding and reckless and careless driving in connection with the Nov. 25, 2023, crash on Old York Road that killed 33-year-old Laishah “Nala” Kendra Holloman.
A conviction of the charge of homicide by vehicle while DUI can carry a mandatory three-year prison term.
During the preliminary hearing, defense lawyer Paul Jared Mallis sought to dismiss the most serious charge, homicide by vehicle while DUI, arguing that prosecutors do not have sufficient evidence to show that alcohol impairment caused the crash.
“This is a speeding case, in the nighttime, in the dark. There’s no evidence that alcohol played a role in this. There’s no connection to impairment. He was speeding. His rate of speed was to such a degree that sadly, this was an unavoidable crash. Speed was the only factor that caused the crash,” Mallis suggested.
At the time Pitts was arrested, authorities alleged Pitts had a blood alcohol content of 0.135%, which is more than the legal limit of 0.08%. The DUI charge that was held for trial now reflects “general impairment” without a blood alcohol content listed.
Pitts now faces a June 26 formal arraignment hearing in county court. After that hearing, a county judge will set a trial date for Pitts.
Pitts remains in the county jail in lieu of $90,000 cash bail while awaiting trial.
Holloman, who was born in Orange, N.J., was employed by Wyncote Academy as the farm manager and the educator of outdoor agriculture, according to her obituary.
The investigation began about 5:53 p.m. Nov. 25 when Cheltenham police responded to the area of Old York Road and Spring Avenue, in the Elkins Park section of the township, for a report of a vehicle crash involving a 2011 Nissan Rogue operated by Pitts and a white Ford van operated by Holloman, according to a criminal complaint filed by Cheltenham Township Police Officer Justin Sneeringer.
“The crash was reported to have an overturned vehicle, and a person trapped underneath the overturned vehicle,” Sneeringer wrote in the arrest affidavit.
Arriving officers found Holloman trapped underneath her white Ford van.
Investigators determined Pitts was traveling northbound on Old York Road “at a high rate of speed” and collided with Holloman’s van as she was exiting a private driveway, according to the criminal complaint. Holloman was attempting to enter Old York Road and proceed southbound, requiring her to cross over the northbound lanes from the private driveway she was exiting, police said.
The Nissan struck the driver’s side door of the van with such force that it caused the van to go into a spin and then overturn, police alleged.
“The violent motion” caused Holloman to be partially ejected from the driver’s side window of the van and she was entrapped between the driver’s door and the ground, Sneeringer alleged in court papers.
Holloman was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency medical responders.
Pitts remained at the scene of the crash.
The investigation determined Pitts was traveling at 69 mph in a 40 mph speed zone at the time of the crash and physical evidence showed that the Nissan “did not leave any tire marks, skid marks or any evidence of braking or evasive maneuvering,” Sneeringer alleged.
Police alleged that had Pitts been traveling at the speed limit he would have had sufficient line of sight and distance to avoid striking Holloman’s vehicle.
Officers also detected an odor of alcohol emanating from Pitts’ breath.
The investigation found that Pitts has never held a valid driver’s license.
