Julian Mansfield Charged with Homicide by Vehicle

Julian Mansfield Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman, West Norriton Township Police Chief Robert P. Adams and Norristown Police Chief Russell Bono announce the arrest of 21 year old Julian Tyrone Mansfield. Mansfield is charged with Homicide by Vehicle, Accidents Involving Death or Serious Bodily Injury, Driving Under Suspension, Receiving Stolen Property and other related charges.

On June 23, 2009, shortly after 9 p.m., West Norriton Police were dispatched to a multi-vehicle accident with injuries on the Dannehower Bridge (Route 202). Upon arrival at the scene, responding police officers found a severely damage motorcycle laying on the highway and the operator, Julian Mansfield, was discovered nearby. Mansfield was seriously injured and lying on the roadway.

Through the investigation it was determined that this motorcycle was occupied by two persons, Mansfield and Ryan Bonita Banjoman. Banjoman was the rear seat passenger. Banjoman was not immediately located at the scene, however, it was soon determined that Banjoman had been ejected from the motorcycle over the sidewall of the bridge into the direction of the Schuylkill River.

A water search and rescue operation was commenced by the Norristown Fire Department, Jefferson Fire Company, Gladwyne Fire Company, Norriton Fire Company, Swedesburg Fire Company, Bridgeport Fire Company No. 1, Lower Providence Fire Company, Telford Fire Company, Montgomery County Department of Public Safety, North Penn-Goodwill Fire Company, Washington Fire Company No. 1 (Conshohocken), Plymouth Fire Company, Harmonville Fire Company, Spring Mill Fire Company, Swedeland Fire Company, Whitemarsh Township Police Department, West Norriton Police Department, Norristown Police Department, Upper Merion Police Department, Bridgeport Police Department, Plymouth Police Department, Lower Providence Police Department, Philadelphia Police Department (Aviation Division), Montgomery County Detectives, and PENNSTAR. At 12:36 a.m. on June 24, 2009, the deceased body of 19 year old Ryan Bonita Banjoman was recovered from the Schuylkill River. The victim was removed from the scene and was taken to the Montgomery County Morgue pending a post mortem examination. An autopsy was conducted and it was determined that the cause of death was multiple injuries resulting from the crash.

The Montgomery County Detective Bureau conducted a crash investigation and it was determined that Mr. Mansfield’s motorcycle had been proceeding north within the northbound right lane of travel of Route 202 on the Dannehower Bridge at a high rate of speed and closing in on slower traffic. Mansfield’s motorcycle rapidly approached the rear of a vehicle operated by Joann K. Pisch. Mansfield applied his rear-wheel-only brakes and then applied steering input to the right in attempt to proceed up the right side of the vehicle operated by Ms. Pisch. Due to the speed at which Mansfield’s vehicle was traveling, as well as the amount of steering input applied, the front of Mr. Mansfield’s motorcycle struck the right rear of Ms. Pisch’s vehicle causing his motorcycle to go onto the berm of the roadway and strike the concrete raised barrier, ejecting the rear seat passenger, Ms. Banjoman, over the guardrail. Mr. Mansfield’s motorcycle then contacted the right side of Ms. Pisch’s vehicle a second time at which time Mr. Mansfield’s motorcycle lost stability. The motorcycle went onto its left side and slid across the northbound lanes of travel when Mr. Mansfield was ejected from the vehicle. The crash investigation also determined that Mr. Mansfield was proceeding at a speed greater than 74 miles per hour at the time of the crash.

Investigators also determined that the motorcycle being operated by Mr. Mansfield in this crash had been reported stolen by Israel Rodriguez to the Wilmington, Delaware Police on May 22, 2009. The vehicle identification number indicated that the motorcycle is owned by Michael Lane of Warminster, Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania Department of Transportation records indicate that Mr. Mansfield was not issued a current valid operator license and that his operating privileges are suspended until the year 2011.

The defendant will be arraigned on all charges today at 1:00 p.m. in front of Magisterial District Judge Ester J. Casillo, 160 West Germantown Pike, Suite D-5, Norristown, who will set bail and set a date for a preliminary hearing.

ADA Tonya Lupinacci has been assigned to prosecute this case.

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