Family of Pittsburgh accident victim angry over possible deal with driver

KITTANNING, Pennsylvania (KDKA) – The son of the two people killed in a traffic accident in Kiski Township in July 2022 wanted a trial against the driver involved in the case.

The trial was scheduled to begin on July 8, but he was taken completely by surprise when he opened a letter on Monday from the victim coordinator at the Armstrong County District Attorney’s Office saying a deal was on the table.

“I’m angry and sad that it’s a failure,” said John Kalbaugh. “It’s not supposed to work like that at all. It hurts. It’s like a slap in the face.”

His parents, Tony and Kim Stasko, died in a crash on Route 56 in Kiski Township on July 3, 2022. Police said Michael Flynn was driving the other car. He ran a stop sign on Balsinger Road and crashed into the Staskos, police said.

Kalbaugh said he was furious after receiving the letter informing him that the trial he had been expecting and waiting for was not happening.

“It was hard to believe that all these charges, two people’s lives and everything came down to this,” Kalbaugh said.

Flynn was originally charged with two counts of vehicular manslaughter, accidents involving death or personal injury and aggravated assault with a vehicle, and one count of running a stop sign. But he is now allowed to plead guilty to two counts of vehicular manslaughter. Kalbaugh said he had not heard from prosecutors before Monday.

After the fatal crash in July 2022, investigators arrested Flynn on suspicion of drunken driving. They say he refused a blood test for alcohol or drugs. Under state law, his license should have been suspended for at least a year for refusing the test. But Flynn kept driving and was arrested for drunken driving in February 2023 after rear-ending a vehicle on the Parkway East, according to court documents.

According to court records, Flynn pleaded guilty earlier this year to two counts of drunken driving and five counts of misdemeanor summons. He received two to four days in jail, six months of probation and a $500 fine.

Kalbaugh and his family opened a Facebook page and appeared at Flynn’s court hearings.

“It’s really disturbing to know that the justice system can let people down like this,” he said.

KDKA-TV emailed Armstrong County District Attorney Katie Charlton, but she did not respond Monday. She is out of the office until next week. KDKA-TV also called the district attorney’s office, and a staffer said there was no comment at this time.