Man drank 12 beers, then hit and killed 11-year-old playing outside, PA cops say
An accused drunk driver has been arrested in the death of an 11-year-old girl, Pennsylvania authorities say, but murder charges were not filed.
Jeffrey Glowatski is accused of drinking 12 beers Aug. 20, 2024, before hitting and killing Roxanne Bonnoni, who KDKA reported was playing outside of her Harrison Township home.
He began drinking at 2:45 p.m., and after leaving a second bar at 7:15 p.m., he crashed into Roxanne within minutes, according to a criminal complaint obtained by TribLive.com.
“I told him to turn the car off and give me the keys,” Jack Howard, who heard the crash and the sound of someone screaming, told TribLive.com. “I didn’t want him to leave.”
His speech was slurred, according to the criminal complaint also obtained by WTAE, which said Glowatski refused to take sobriety tests. Authorities obtained a search warrant for additional testing.
The testing showed Glowatski had a blood alcohol level nearly double the legal limit, WPXI reported.
Roxeanne’s loved ones said in a GoFundMe that her father witnessed the crash, then rushed to pick up and hold his daughter in her final moments.
“Unfortunately, nothing could be done to save her,” according to the GoFundMe. “This horrible person robbed them of her.”
Roxanne was pronounced dead at the scene, the Allegheny County Police Department said.
Approaching the 1-year anniversary of Roxanne’s death, Glowatski has now been charged with driving under the influence and careless driving, according to the news outlets.
In a statement to WPXI, Fred Rabner, an attorney for the Bonnoni family, said homicide charges were not filed “based on the technical elements of the more serious charges and the difficulties in proving the same.”
“As we come up on the year anniversary of this tragic loss, recognizing there is nothing that will bring Roxanne back, the family is somewhat heartened by the diligence of the District Attorney’s Office and the prosecuting officers who have worked tirelessly to bring this family some justice,” Rabner said in his statement.
Roxanne attended DePaul School and was about to start at Western Pennsylvnia School for the Deaf, where she hoped to be a cheerleader and play soccer, according to her obituary.
“She was creative and enjoyed drawing, loved walking the beach, slime and playing with her sister,” the obituary said. “She loved ice cream and popsicles and was a happy go lucky child who loved jokes and had a great sense of humor.”
Harrison Township is about a 25-mile drive northeast from Pittsburgh.
This story was originally published August 14, 2025 at 11:02 AM with the headline "Man drank 12 beers, then hit and killed 11-year-old playing outside, PA cops say."