Calo pleads guilty to fatal drug driving crash, faces 10-20 years in prison

Apr. 22—WILKES-BARRE — A Nanticoke man who Plymouth police say was under the influence of fentanyl when he struck and killed a man on East Main Street in June 2022, pled guilty to vehicular homicide and related offenses Monday.

Jose Calo, 59, of Pine Street, could face up to two decades in state prison due to prior drunken driving convictions when he is sentenced in June.

Plymouth police in court records say Calo while driving a Ford Explorer south on East Main Street struck James Mahon, 86, in the area of 10 E. Main St. on June 25, 2022.

Video footage showed Calo driving the Ford weaving into oncoming traffic nearly colliding with other vehicles, court records say.

Mahon was pinned under a parked vehicle and was transported to Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center where he died.

A blood test revealed Calo had fentanyl in his system, court records say.

Calo was scheduled for a jury trial this week before Luzerne County President Judge Michael T. Vough.

Instead, Calo pled guilty to homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence, homicide by vehicle, accidents involving death, driving with a suspended license and driving under the influence.

The plea agreement reached between Assistant District Attorney Daniel Marsh and Calo's attorney, Allyson L. Kacmarski, recommends a 10 to 20 year state prison sentence.

Vough scheduled Calo to be sentenced June 6. Calo remains jailed at the county correctional facility.