NY Driver Faces Homicide Charges After Court in Berks Crash Killing 2 Firefighters

Alexander Sepulveda-Rivera, 26, of the Bronx, New York, shuffled into Berks County Court in handcuffs and prison garb Tuesday afternoon for a 1:30 p.m. preliminary hearing. Charged with two counts of homicide by vehicle while DUI in the deaths of Walnuttown Fire and Rescue Fire Chief Jeff Buck and Assistant Fire Chief Robert Shick, he waived the hearing, postponing it until May.[1][2] The deadly collision unfolded Saturday evening on Route 322 in Berks County, when Sepulveda-Rivera allegedly fell asleep at the wheel, crossed into oncoming traffic and struck head-on the utility terrain vehicle carrying the firefighters. Buck and Shick were returning from searching for a missing woman in the rural Walnuttown area, a close-knit community west of Allentown where volunteer firefighters like them form the backbone of emergency response.[1][2] Police reports detail a crack pipe and suspected marijuana found in Sepulveda-Rivera's vehicle; he admitted smoking marijuana around 9 a.m. that day and owning the pipe. Lacking a valid driver's license, he faces 21 total charges, including two counts of homicide by vehicle, two counts of involuntary manslaughter, DUI, and failure to stop and render aid, filed Sunday in Berks County.[1][2][4] The loss reverberates through Pennsylvania's volunteer fire service, where Buck and Shick's dedication underscored the risks off-duty heroes face on local roads like Route 322, a key artery through Berks County's farmlands and townships.[1]