Truck driver charged a year after three Somerset road workers killed on I-83 in York County

Investigators brought murder and DUI charges against a Maryland truck driver accused of killing three workers in an I-83 construction zone crash in northern York County a year ago.

Reed Davenport, 25, of District Heights, faces 25 felony, misdemeanor and summary charges, filed Wednesday, one year after the crash.

Counts include third-degree murder, vehicular homicide while driving under the influence, vehicular homicide, DUI, careless driving causing unintentional death, reckless driving, failing to yield in a construction zone, and operating unsafe equipment.

The list shows three counts each among the murder and homicide charges, one for each of the workers who died: Philson Hinebaugh III, Jesse McKenzie and Robert Hampe in the early morning hours of April 17, 2024.

The York County District Attorney’s Office planned to hold a news conference Thursday afternoon to give an update on the case.

Davenport was driving a box truck for a Maryland auto parts company, on the last leg of a five-stop delivery run through Maryland and Virginia, then up to Union County and back down into York County, Pennsylvania State Police investigators said in charging documents.

At close to 3:30 a.m., he drove south on Interstate 83 toward York when police said he passed a FedEx truck while approaching the construction zone near mile marker 35.5 in Fairview Township.

Police alleged Davenport’s truck didn’t brake but drifted right and, at about 50 mph, struck an attenuator vehicle that had a flashing arrow alerting motorists to merge into the left lane since the right lane was closed for construction, according to charging documents.

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The box truck then drifted onto the shoulder and struck Hinebaugh, Hampe and McKenzie, and then sideswiped a car before striking the concrete barrier in the interstate’s median, police said in charging documents.

The workers died immediately, police said. McKenzie was a 24-year-old from Somerset; the 42-year-old Hampe was from Meyersdale; and Hinebaugh was also 24 and from Cambria County.

Troopers interviewed Davenport later that morning.

He allegedly admitted, “I am running on no sleep. I stayed up 24 hours yesterday,” police quoted him as stating in charging documents.

Charging documents indicated Davenport didn’t have much sleep before starting his delivery run the evening of April 16, as he allegedly told police he’d been busy caring for his dog and new puppies while also working.

Davenport allegedly described feeling tired but not sleepy or drowsy as he drove from Union County down to York. However, he allegedly said he didn’t remember seeing the construction zone or flashing lights, not until he struck the attenuator vehicle, charging documents show.

“It’s like I blacked out,” police quoted him as stating in the interview.

Davenport allegedly denied taking illegal substances, that he had to prove he was clean to obtain a medical examiner’s certificate in 2023, and that he’d passed drug tests in January, shortly before starting the truck driving job, charging documents show.

Troopers had his blood drawn the morning of the crash.

Test results in May 2024 showed there was an active marijuana ingredient and an inactive marijuana metabolite in Davenport’s blood, the state police alleged in charging documents.

Police concluded in charging documents that Davenport was under the influence of marijuana and lack of sleep when the crash occurred.

The documents, though, don’t provide details about whether troopers found marijuana on Davenport or in his box truck, nor whether troopers detected the drug’s odor on him, nor whether he seemed impaired at the crash scene or during his interview.

Though charged, court documents indicate Davenport is not currently jailed in York County.

He’s scheduled to undergo a preliminary arraignment on the charges in district court this afternoon. His preliminary hearing before Judge Jason Loper is set for June 10, court documents show.

— Reach Aimee Ambrose at aambrose@yorkdispatch.com.

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