A Westtown-East Goshen police officer has been charged in a crash that killed a cyclist, DA says

An officer with the Westtown-East Goshen Regional Police Department has been charged with summary offenses for causing the death of a bicyclist in February, prosecutors said Thursday.

Officer Jason Listmeier, 24, was charged with careless driving-unintentional death, driving on roadways laned for traffic, and overtaking a vehicle on the left, according to a statement from Chester County District Attorney Deb Ryan.

Listmeier struck and killed Michael Ghione, 75, as Ghione was riding his bicycle on South High Street near the Route 202 overpass in West Goshen Township on Feb. 19. Ghione was hit from behind and pronounced dead at the scene.

Prosecutors said Listmeier, who did not have his lights or sirens on at the time of the crash, had been distracted by the computer mounted inside his patrol vehicle. He was speeding, going 5 miles above the posted 45 mph speed limit, when he struck a guardrail and then struck Ghione.

“This is a tragic incident that deeply affects many people,” Ryan said. “Although we expect law enforcement to respond urgently to assist others, they still must adhere to our traffic laws to ensure the safety of everyone on the road.”

At the time, Listmeier was responding to reports of an erratic driver traveling southbound on Route 202, Ryan said.

Listmeier did not return a request for comment Thursday, and it was unclear if he had hired an attorney. An officer who answered the phone for Westtown-East Goshen Police declined to comment on the charges and would not answer when asked whether Listmeier still worked with the department.

Listmeier has been on the force since June, according to his social media profile. He previously worked as a police officer in Malvern for five months.