JOHNSTOWN – An alleged intoxicated driver whose vehicle struck another car containing seven people this summer, causing serious injuries, was indicted by a Fulton County grand jury Tuesday on 16 counts.
Fulton County District Attorney Louise Sira announced the indictment of 27-year-old Andrew R. Grismore of West State Street, Johnstown, who recently relocated to this area from the Buffalo area.
He was charged with: three felony counts of second-degree assault; three felony counts of second-degree vehicular assault; seven misdemeanor counts of second-degree reckless endangerment; one misdemeanor count of third-degree assault, one misdemeanor count of driving while intoxicated, and one misdemeanor count of reckless driving.
Sira said the indictment stems from a “terrible” two-car crash July 5 on Route 30 in the town of Northampton. The accident involved Grismore’s 2003 Jeep and a vehicle containing seven people.
“The family was returning from a local restaurant to their summer camp in Northampton,” Sira said. “At the time, they were hit head-on by the Grismore vehicle.”
She said the driver of the other vehicle – Mary Stiglmeier – suffered various leg and neck injuries and was only just recently able to walk out of a wheelchair.
The indictment states the accident caused a “substantial risk” of injury to passengers, and it injured other people besides Mary Stiglmeier. They included: Catherine Stiglmeier, who had nerve damage to the face and a fracture to the left clavicle; and Andrew Carroll, who had a displaced sternum fracture, fractured ribs and a pulmonary contusion.
Grismore was arraigned in Fulton County Court on Monday before Judge Richard C. Giardino. The judge suspended his driver’s license and set bail at $10,000 cash bail, which Grismore posted in court.
The defendant is being represented by attorney Robert Abdella.
Sira said Grismore could face up to seven years in state prison if convicted. His next county court date is set for 1:15 p.m. Nov. 19.
Michael Anich covers Johnstown and Fulton County news. He can be reached at [email protected].
