Com. v. Simmons, D.

CourtSuperior Court of Pennsylvania
DecidedMarch 10, 2026
Docket470 WDA 2025
StatusUnpublished
AuthorStevens

This text of Com. v. Simmons, D. (Com. v. Simmons, D.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Superior Court of Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Com. v. Simmons, D., (Pa. Ct. App. 2026).

Opinion

J-S01044-26

NON-PRECEDENTIAL DECISION - SEE SUPERIOR COURT O.P. 65.37

COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF : PENNSYLVANIA : v. : : : DAWANN MARTRIC SIMMONS : : Appellant : No. 470 WDA 2025

Appeal from the Judgment of Sentence Entered January 2, 2025 In the Court of Common Pleas of Erie County Criminal Division at No(s): CP-25-CR-0002833-2023

BEFORE: BOWES, J., PANELLA, P.J.E., and STEVENS, P.J.E.*

MEMORANDUM BY STEVENS, P.J.E.: FILED: March 10, 2026

Appellant, Dawann Martric Simmons, appeals from the judgment of

sentence entered in the Court of Common Pleas of Erie County on January 2,

2025. After a careful review, we affirm.

A summary of the relevant facts and procedural history are as follows:

On August 20, 2023, near the intersection of West Main Road and Brickyard

Road in North East, Pennsylvania, emergency personnel responded to a two-

vehicle crash. Summary of Case for Defendant’s Plea, Com. Ex. 1, 11/7/24, at

1. Emergency personnel included the Fuller Hose Company of the North East

Volunteer Fire Department and Pennsylvania State Troopers, relevantly

including Fire Police Officer Shawn Giles. Id. at 2. Officer Giles was responsible

____________________________________________

* Former Justice specially assigned to the Superior Court. J-S01044-26

for traffic control in the eastbound lane while firefighters and state troopers

performed their investigation of the crash. Id. Officer Giles was wearing

fluorescent clothing and holding fluorescent flags while conducting these

official duties. Id.

At this time, Appellant was traveling in a silver Lexus at a high rate of

speed in the left eastbound lane on State Route 20. Notably, Appellant, the

driver and sole occupant of the Lexus, was driving with his license suspended

by PennDOT. Id. at 3. Maintaining a high rate of speed, Appellant traveled into

the right lane, then abruptly swerved back into the left lane to avoid colliding

with a vehicle stopped by Officer Giles. Id. at 2. During this maneuver,

Appellant’s Lexus struck Officer Giles, causing his death as a result of blunt

force trauma. Id. at 3.

Through forensic calculation and investigation, Appellant’s vehicle was

determined to have been traveling approximately 78 miles per hour (mph)

immediately prior to the crash and approximately 58 mph when his vehicle

impacted the victim. The posted speed limit was 55 mph, and the required

speed limit in an emergency response area is 20 mph less than the posted

speed limit, thus resulting in a reduced speed limit of 35 mph. Id.

Appellant was charged on December 14, 2023 in a fifteen-count criminal

information with Homicide by Vehicle and related offenses. After Appellant was

appointed various attorneys who withdrew from representation, and filed

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numerous pro se correspondences, he proceeded with counsel to a guilty plea

hearing on November 7, 2024.

At Mr. Simmons’ plea, a colloquy was orally entered into the record which reflected a written factual summary of the case, which had been agreed to and signed by Mr. Simmons, his Defense Counsel, the Attorney for the Commonwealth, and the court and filed in advance of the plea (see “Summary of Case for Defendant’s Plea” filed as Docket Entry of November 7, 2024).

Mr. Simmons was advised of the possible maximum sentences for the charges to which he was pleading No Contest or Guilty, and was advised that his trial was scheduled for the following Tuesday. A written plea colloquy form was read to Mr. Simmons and he also signed this form at the time of the plea (see “Defendant’s Statement of Understanding of Rights Prior to Guilty/No Contest Plea” filed as Docket Entry of November 7, 2024).

Tr. Ct. Op. 3-4 (unpaginated).

Appellant pleaded no contest to count one and pleaded guilty to the

remaining counts listed below:

Count 1, Homicide by Vehicle, 75 Pa.C.S. 3732(A), a Felony of the Third Degree; Count 2, Accidents Involving Death or Personal Injury While Not Properly Licensed, 75 Pa.C.S. 3742.1, a Felony of the Third Degree; Count 3, Driving While Operating Privilege is Suspended or Revoked, 75 Pa.C.S. 1543(a), a Summary Offense; Count 5, Reckless Driving, 75 Pa.C.S. 3736(A), a Summary Offense; Count 8, Recklessly Endangering Another Person, 18 Pa.C.S. 2705, a Misdemeanor of the Second Degree; Count 9, Recklessly Endangering Another Person, 18 Pa.C.S. 2705, a Misdemeanor of the Second Degree; Count 10, Recklessly Endangering Another Person, 18 Pa.C.S. 2705, a Misdemeanor of the Second Degree; Count 14, Duty of Driver in an Emergency Response Area, 75 Pa.C.S. 3327(A)(2), a Summary Offense; and,

-3- J-S01044-26

Count 15, Driving Vehicle at Safe Speed, 75 Pa.C.S. 3361, a Summary Offense.

Tr. Ct. Op. 1-2 (unpaginated); see N.T., 11/7/24, at 7. The remaining counts

were nolle prossed with the consent of the district attorney and the court.

Appellant was sentenced on January 2, 2025, to an aggregate of 109 to

218 months’ incarceration. See N.T., 11/7/24. Appellant’s counsel withdrew

and he was appointed new counsel. On January 10, 2025, Appellant filed

through his counsel a motion to withdraw plea, vacate sentence, and

reschedule case for trial. The court denied his motion by order entered January

27, 2025. Following the filing of a petition for post-conviction collateral relief,

Appellant was granted leave to file an appeal nunc pro tunc from the order of

January 27, 2025, which denied his post-sentence motion.

On April 17, 2025, Appellant timely filed a notice of appeal and

thereafter filed a concise statement pursuant to Pa.R.A.P. 1925(b). This appeal

follows.

Appellant raises the following issue for our review:

A. Whether the lower Court committed legal error and abused its discretion in failing to grant the Defendant’s Motion for leave to withdraw his guilty plea?

B. Whether the lower Court committed legal error and abused its discretion in failing to grant the Defendant’s motion seeking reconsideration and/or modification of sentence predicated on the lower Court failing to elucidate on the record as mandated the basis for imposing sentence in the aggravated range as to count 1 (Homicide By Motor Vehicle) and count 2 (Accidents Involving Death or Injury While Not Licensed)?

-4- J-S01044-26

C. Whether the lower Court committed legal error and abused its discretion in failing to reconsider or modify the sentencing structure as to counts 1 and 2 in that although said counts do not merge as a matter of law, both offenses are based on essentially the same conduct, the same state of mind and the same consequences?

D. The lower Court committed legal error and abused its discretion in failing to reconsider or modify the sentence imposed as to the reckless endangerment convictions at counts 8, 9 and 10, where the Court imposed sentences at the top of the standard ranges and further imposed the sentences consecutively to each other thereby amplifying the sentencing exposure by some three years [of] incarceration?

E. Whether the lower Court committed legal error and abused its discretion in failing to afford reconsideration or modification of the sentence as per the post-sentence motion based upon the averment that the extant sentence is manifestly excessive given that the Defendant’s offenses were reckless as opposed to intentional and thereby the Court had ample basis to modify the sentencing structure to some form of concurrent sentences as to counts 1 and 2 and the series of reckless endangerment counts 8, 9 and 10?

Appellant’s Br. at 3.

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