Charges nixed for miner

BY FRANK ANDRUSCAVAGE
POTTSVILLE REPUBLICAN & HERALD
May 8, 2009

TREMONT — A district judge on Thursday dismissed charges against one of three men charged in connection with a 2006 Tremont Township mine explosion that claimed the life of a local miner.

In her ruling, Magisterial District Judge Carol A. Pankake said the commonwealth did not prove a prima facie case against Jeffrey T. Klinger, 43, of Tremont, and dismissed charges of involuntary manslaughter, causing or risking a catastrophe, recklessly endangering another person and four violations of the Anthracite Coal Mine Act.

Klinger was charged in connection with the Oct. 23, 2006, explosion at R&D Coal Co. that claimed the life of Dale Reightler, 43, of Donaldson. The blast, authorities said, was caused by a methane gas buildup and unsafe mining practices.

The charges against Klinger were re-filed in March by Glenn A. Parno, chief deputy with the state attorney general’s office. In February, Schuylkill County Judge Jacqueline L. Russell dismissed all but three of the original violations of the Anthracite Coal Mine Act that Klinger was charged with.

“No facts in the record indicate ... that Klinger recklessly disregarded a risk to (Dale) Reightler,â€

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Looks like this sure fire case is starting to fall apart! Hopefully the people that were behind the investigation will get what s coming to them,

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