A Providence Township man pleaded guilty last month to killing a man and seriously injuring his elderly wife after crashing into them head-on while driving under the influence of drugs on Christmas Day.

David Ray Whisman, of the 300 block of Hollow Road, pleaded guilty before Judge Dennis Reinaker on Jan. 20 to 10 different offenses including homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence. Judge Reinaker will sentence Whisman after the conclusion of a pre-sentence investigation.

Whisman, 43, was under the influence of fentanyl and other substances when he crashed head-on into the victims’ vehicle along Lancaster Pike just south of its intersection with Truce Road in Providence Township the afternoon of Dec. 25, 2022.

The vehicle’s passenger, Frank Cascarella, 86, died weeks later his injuries sustained in the crash. Cascarella’s 80-year-old wife, who was driving the vehicle, suffered brain bleeding, a tear across her liver and a seven-inch cut on her knee but survived.

A blood sample taken in the hours after the collision showed that Whisman had fentanyl, multiple opioids and a horse tranquilizer in his system.

Pennsylvania State Police Cpl. Joshua Knepp, who responded to the scene and filed the charges, found drug residue and paraphernalia inside Whisman’s vehicle, including bags labeled as containing opioids. Whisman struggled to maintain consciousness as Knepp spoke with him at the scene and later admitted to having smoked fentanyl several hours before driving.

An analysis of Whisman’s vehicle determined that he drifted into oncoming traffic moments before the crash, leaving the victims with no time to react.

Assistant District Attorney Kyle Linardo prosecuted the case.