Police: O'Neill blamed crash on deer
Although blood-tests results are not expected for weeks, police said today that they filed charges last week because of substantial evidence that Sean O. O'Neill Jr. had abused alcohol again; in 2006 he fatally shot a friend at an underage drinking party.
Police: O'Neill blamed crash on deer
Many area residents gave thanks last week that they had no connection to the embattled O'Neill clan, which made headlines once again.
Although blood-tests results are not expected for weeks, police said today that they filed charges last week against Sean O. O'Neill Jr. because of substantial evidence that he had abused alcohol again; in 2006, he fatally shot a friend and fellow Cardinal O'Hara classmate at an underage drinking party.
West Goshen Township police said O'Neill, 22, of Glen Mills, was driving at 12:55 a.m. in the 800 block of Westtown Road when he lost control of his black Cadillac Escalade, which traveled down an embankment, smashed into two cars, and then crashed into the home's attached garage. No one was injured, police said. The homeowners told police that three people were asleep in the residence when the crash occurred and that O'Neill "attempted to back away from the garage several times in an attempt to free his vehicle ... backing up and hitting the garage over and over," the criminal complaint said.
The complaint said O'Neill, who exuded a strong alcohol odor, told police that he had one beer and that a deer ran in front of his vehicle. He said he could not put weight on his leg for an extended period of time because he had broken it and had been carrying a medical boot in the car to assist him with walking, the complaint said. O'Neill put the boot on but still failed a series of field sobriety tests, the complaint said.
O'Neill first came to public attention when he accidentally shot and killed Scott Sheridan, 17, during an unchaperoned drinking party at the O'Neills' Chester County home on Sept. 1, 2006. O'Neill was adjudicated as a juvenile and had to complete two residential treatment programs before being released in 2009.
The shooting death prompted a search of the family's palatial Willistown Township home that led to a federal firearms conviction for Sean Owen O'Neill Sr., 51, an illegal immigrant and former Delaware County pub owner who was recently deported to Ireland after serving an 18-month jail sentence.
Another of the family's three children, Roisin O'Neill, 26, has also had problems with alcohol abuse. She is serving a 5-to-10-year prison term for causing a crash on Sept. 19, 2008, that killed Patricia Murphy Waggoner, 63, a grandmother from Brimfield, Mass. Police said Roisin O'Neill was driving drunk in the wrong direction on I-476 in Plymouth Township. In 2009, the O'Neill's youngest daughter was cited for underage drinking during a routine DUI checkpoint by state police.
First Assistant District Attorney Patrick Carmody said Sean O'Neill should not waste time seeking admittance into the county's Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program, a regimen for first-time, non-violent offenders. "He wouldn't be accepted," Carmody said. He explained that prosecutors can look at juvenile records in assessing a person's suitability for the program, which enables participants to erase their conviction if they complete the requirements. "He has a prior manslaughter conviction related to alcohol," Carmody said. "Plus, the current case is borderline; he ran into a house. We've denied people before for that reason alone... It's very fortunate that no one was hurt."
Roger - you don't have to "look smashed" to be intoxicated. Buzzed driving IS drunk driving. This is what happens when Irish people come into money. 5 years ago the kid kills someone at an underage drinking party. 5 years later, he is only been allowed to legally drink for a year, and already has a DUI. Can you say moron? Maggie O'Neills is the lamest coke-bar in Delco too.— KingOfPhilly- Wow they can deport an Illegal Irish guy but God forbid they deport
someone of the protected class.— killmumia - Judge Gavin, are you paying attention? This punk who pointed a gun at the head of his "friend" on purpose (opposite of accidentally), then threatened another kid at another drunken party, saying "I've killed people for less" while on bail, has committed another alcohol related crime. "Surprise, surprise!, said that well known philospher, Gomer Pyle. Thank you Judge Gavin for allowing this quintessential punk to avoid the adult punishment he deserved for committing an adult crime, murder. I can only hope you or someone you know is his next victim.
— OHARA75 - Under the jail for this mutt.— BillyBob369
- "This is what happens when Irish people come into money."
If you think you're the KingOfPhilly and you're making statements like that, then you're more of a moron than this idiot kid.— MoneyMan1115 - it was the deer that was drunk.
police got the wrong animal.— ald - DUI's? Manslaughter? Protected rich kid? Check his DNA, he may be a Kennedy.— Hack Stone
- It was the deers Fault!This is the common refrain of addicts who cant accept responsibility for their actions.This CREEP is a Sociopath with no Consience for his actions.
Put a Breathylyser on his Escalade so he can't drive it if he has been drinking,I guarantee we will here from this "LOSER" again.Thanks to the Judge who gave him a lenient sentence in his previous Murder case.OH! I mean Manslaughter?????THIS KID IS A GRENADE WAITING TO GO OFF .— ARCHANGEL1 - I knew Sheridan. His girlfriend was carrying his unborn baby when O'Neill killed him and left the baby fatherless. This is a miscarriage of justice. He should be given the death penalty because he has killed.— Mickey Cross Eyes
- Yeah, I went to a bar with a deer once too, we blew a few bucks together.— tooly
- blame our so-called "president" hussein obama for this one. he is responsible for everything bad that has ever happened. republicans are good people who have never done anything bad.— Good Catholic
- This family is the greatest reality show....ever. Admit it, you would watch.— kelprod2
