(MCKEAN COUNTY, Pennsylvania: August 6, 2025):  District Attorney Stephanie Vettenburg-Shaffer reports that the Pennsylvania Superior Court has affirmed the conviction of a Bradford man for causing the death of a female and serious bodily injury to three men in a fatal car crash that occurred in 2018.  Daniel OAKS, of Bradford, was convicted of Homicide by Vehicle, Involuntary Manslaughter, 3 counts of Aggravated Assault by Vehicle and 5 counts of Recklessly Endangering Another Person. A passenger in OAKS’ vehicle, Alyssa Hawk, died as a result of the crash which also seriously injured three men. Following trial, OAKS was sentenced by the Judge to incarceration in state prison for a term of 19 months to 56 months. 

The testimony at trial was that OAKS was driving his vehicle at an excessive speed and left the roadway – colliding with a truck parked in a yard.  The passenger side of the OAKS’ vehicle struck the truck before rotating and forcing the truck into a porch near three men standing nearby.  The men were flung through the air – all suffering serious injuries.  Another man was standing near an ATV in the yard and escaped injury.

Following the crash, neighbors in the area of the crash ran to the scene and provided aid to the injured men.  Numerous firemen, paramedics, EMTs, and police officers from other areas responded to assist.  Many of the neighbors and first responders testified to hearing the car pass the houses on the roadway at an excessive rate of speed before crashing and to rendering aid to the men but finding Alyssa Hawk in the passenger seat unable to be saved. She was pronounced deceased at the scene.  The men were flown to out-of-area trauma centers for treatment.

Officer Eric Neiswonger and Pennsylvania State Police Accident Reconstructionist Corporal David Kostok investigated the crash.    

McKean County District Attorney Stephanie L. Vettenburg-Shaffer and 1^st Assistant District Attorney Michael Alfieri prosecuted the case. 

OAKS was represented at trial by Tony Clarke and Chris Martini.

Original releases:

UPDATED FOR SENTENCING: Bradford Man Convicted of Homicide by Vehicle and Other Charges

(SMETHPORT, Pennsylvania) UPDATED: Following a sentencing hearing at the McKean County Courthouse on October 13, 2022, President Judge John H. Pavlock sentenced Daniel Oaks, II, of Bradford to 19 months to 56 months incarceration in state prison as well as additional terms such as mental health evaluation; restitution; no contact with victims or their families; and boot camp; etc.  Numerous witnesses provided testimony at the sentencing hearing for the Court to consider in fashioning the sentence.    Oaks had been convicted following a jury trial of Homicide by Vehicle, Involuntary Manslaughter and three counts of Aggravated Assault by Vehicle.  A trial in 2021 resulted in a hung jury on several of the counts but the jury convicted him of 5 counts of Recklessly Endangering Another Person at that time.  District Attorney Stephanie L. Vettenburg-Shaffer and Assistant District Attorney Michael Alfieri retried those counts in a 2nd jury trial in August, 2022, and the jury convicted him of the remaining counts.  

CONVICTED _________________________________________________________________________

(SMETHPORT, Pennsylvania): On August 31, 2022, following an 8 day jury trial at the McKean County Courthouse, Daniel Walter Oaks, II, was convicted of Homicide by Vehicle, Involuntary Manslaughter and three counts of Aggravated Assault by Vehicle.

The charges were the result of a motor vehicle crash that occurred in Duke Center, McKean County, on September 8, 2018.  OAKS was the driver of a Subaru WRX that collided with a Dodge Ram that had been parked in a yard on Main Street.  A passenger in the OAKS vehicle, Alyssa Hawk, died as a result of the crash and three men, who had been standing in the yard where the vehicle collided with the Dodge truck, suffered serious injuries.

Following the crash, neighbors in the area of the crash provided aid to the injured.

Numerous firemen, paramedics, EMTs, and police officers from other areas responded to assist. 

Officer Eric Neiswonger and Pennsylvania State Police Accident Reconstructionist Corporal David Kostok investigated the crash.    

McKean County District Attorney Stephanie L. Vettenburg-Shaffer and 1^st Assistant District Attorney Michael Alfieri prosecuted the case.