Scranton, PA – Pedestrian Struck and Killed by Suspected Drunk Driver on Route 307

Scranton, PA (Sept 1, 2026) – A Scranton man is dead after he was struck by a car while walking near the intersection of State Route 307 and Florida Avenue, close to the area known locally as “the lookout,” Scranton police said.

Police identified the pedestrian as Dion Leepier. He was taken to the trauma unit at Geisinger-Community Medical Center, where he later died from his injuries.

The driver, 19-year-old Gracie Rinaldi, was taken into custody on suspicion of driving under the influence. Charges are pending the completion of the investigation.

This is a developing story. Details may change as the investigation continues.

Losing someone to a driver who should never have gotten behind the wheel leaves a family with grief and questions at the same time, and no one should have to sort through either one alone.

Fatal Pedestrian Accident in Scranton, PA

When a driver suspected of impairment strikes and kills a pedestrian, the driver is typically the party responsible, but a civil claim for damages is separate from any criminal DUI case and moves on its own timeline.

• What investigators examine: blood alcohol testing, field sobriety results, the driver’s actions before the crash, and any traffic or dashcam footage from nearby businesses along Route 307
• Who may be liable: the driver, and in some cases an establishment that may have over-served alcohol before the crash
• How fault is measured: Pennsylvania follows a modified comparative negligence rule, so a family can still recover damages as long as the pedestrian is found 50% or less at fault (42 Pa.C.S. § 7102)

Wrongful death claims in Pennsylvania must generally be filed within two years of the date of death (42 Pa.C.S. § 5524). Based on the reported date of this crash, that deadline would fall on September 1, 2028.

Contact Our Scranton Pedestrian Accident Attorneys

A death caused by a suspected drunk driver is hard to make sense of. No family should have to face it alone.

Scartelli Olszewski has spent more than two decades building a trial record in Northeastern Pennsylvania. That includes a $10,000,000 jury verdict in Luzerne County and a $250,000 settlement in a prior pedestrian hit-and-run case. Our Scranton personal injury lawyers bring that same courtroom experience to cases involving a pending DUI investigation.

Evidence doesn’t stay available forever. Blood alcohol results, 911 dispatch records, and nearby camera footage along Route 307 can disappear fast. Moving quickly on that evidence can make a real difference in what a case is worth.

There is no cost to speak with us. And you owe us nothing unless we win. We take these cases on contingency. Call us at (570) 346-2600. We’ll walk you through what a case like this involves before you decide anything.