Scranton man pleads guilty in death of West Penn Twp. business owner
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Scranton man pleads guilty in death of West Penn Twp. business owner
Michael Albert, 62, sentenced to 11½ to 23 months in Schuylkill County Prison. West Penn Twp. police had accused him of using a tri-axle dump truck to kill 35-year-old Mark T. Boyle. Albert had initially faced felony charges of third-degree murder, aggravated assault and homicide by vehicle. Albert pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and theft of services, for which he was sentenced to a year of probation, as part of the plea deal. He will receive about a year’s worth of credit for time served in prison from August 2023 to August 2024, the DA says.. The commonwealth opted not to prosecute the remaining charges.
Michael Albert pleaded guilty in Schuylkill County Court to misdemeanor charges of involuntary manslaughter and theft of services. West Penn Twp. police had accused him of using a tri-axle dump truck to kill 35-year-old Mark T. Boyle on Aug. 2, 2023, after a dispute over payments at Boyle’s business, Mark T. Boyle Welding & Industrial Sandblasting.
Rather than go to trial in September, Albert entered the guilty plea June 13 before Judge Christina E. Hale, who sentenced him to 11½ to 23 months in Schuylkill County Prison.
Albert had initially faced felony charges of third-degree murder, aggravated assault and homicide by vehicle; misdemeanor charges of reckless endangerment and theft of services; and a summary count of reckless driving. He had been free on bail since August 2024 and was subsequently placed under house arrest, according to First Assistant District Attorney Michael Stine.
As part of the plea agreement, the homicide by vehicle charge was replaced by involuntary manslaughter, a first-degree misdemeanor. Albert pleaded guilty to that charge, as well as theft of services, for which he was sentenced to a year of probation.
The commonwealth opted not to prosecute the remaining charges, as part of the agreement.
While classified differently, both the homicide by vehicle and involuntary manslaughter offenses carried the same penalty, Stine said.
“The victim’s family and police were all in agreement with (the plea deal),” he said.
Judge Hale ordered Albert to pay restitution of $20,819 to the victim’s family and barred contact with them and their residence.
Albert will receive about a year’s worth of credit for time served in prison from August 2023 to August 2024.
During Albert’s preliminary hearing in 2023, Boyle’s widow, Elizabeth, testified her husband had asked her to come outside and said, “I don’t think this is going to end well,” referring to his dispute with Albert over a 2001 Peterbilt dump truck.
According to the woman’s testimony, Albert was told he could not take the truck because an additional $7,500 was not paid as agreed. While the couple was inside their office, they heard the sound of the dump truck starting. Mark Boyle then went outside, and they saw Albert smile and wave as he began to leave.
Elizabeth Boyle said her husband walked toward the truck and tried to stop Albert, but was hit with the lift axle tire. Albert saw Boyle was under the truck, then took off, the woman testified.
Police said they found Boyle on the ground being treated by an emergency medical technician before he was taken to the Lehigh Valley Hospital-Carbon campus and later to LVH-Cedar Crest, Allentown, where he was pronounced dead that night.
Lehigh County Coroner Daniel A. Buglio ruled the death a homicide.
Scranton man pleads guilty in death of West Penn Twp. business owner
Michael Albert, 62, sentenced to 11½ to 23 months in Schuylkill County Prison. West Penn Twp. police had accused him of using a tri-axle dump truck to kill 35-year-old Mark T. Boyle. Albert had initially faced felony charges of third-degree murder, aggravated assault and homicide by vehicle. Albert pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and theft of services, for which he was sentenced to a year of probation, as part of the plea deal. He will receive about a year’s worth of credit for time served in prison from August 2023 to August 2024, the DA says.. The commonwealth opted not to prosecute the remaining charges.
Michael Albert pleaded guilty in Schuylkill County Court to misdemeanor charges of involuntary manslaughter and theft of services. West Penn Twp. police had accused him of using a tri-axle dump truck to kill 35-year-old Mark T. Boyle on Aug. 2, 2023, after a dispute over payments at Boyle’s business, Mark T. Boyle Welding & Industrial Sandblasting.
Rather than go to trial in September, Albert entered the guilty plea June 13 before Judge Christina E. Hale, who sentenced him to 11½ to 23 months in Schuylkill County Prison.
Albert had initially faced felony charges of third-degree murder, aggravated assault and homicide by vehicle; misdemeanor charges of reckless endangerment and theft of services; and a summary count of reckless driving. He had been free on bail since August 2024 and was subsequently placed under house arrest, according to First Assistant District Attorney Michael Stine.
As part of the plea agreement, the homicide by vehicle charge was replaced by involuntary manslaughter, a first-degree misdemeanor. Albert pleaded guilty to that charge, as well as theft of services, for which he was sentenced to a year of probation.
The commonwealth opted not to prosecute the remaining charges, as part of the agreement.
While classified differently, both the homicide by vehicle and involuntary manslaughter offenses carried the same penalty, Stine said.
“The victim’s family and police were all in agreement with (the plea deal),” he said.
Judge Hale ordered Albert to pay restitution of $20,819 to the victim’s family and barred contact with them and their residence.
Albert will receive about a year’s worth of credit for time served in prison from August 2023 to August 2024.
During Albert’s preliminary hearing in 2023, Boyle’s widow, Elizabeth, testified her husband had asked her to come outside and said, “I don’t think this is going to end well,” referring to his dispute with Albert over a 2001 Peterbilt dump truck.
According to the woman’s testimony, Albert was told he could not take the truck because an additional $7,500 was not paid as agreed. While the couple was inside their office, they heard the sound of the dump truck starting. Mark Boyle then went outside, and they saw Albert smile and wave as he began to leave.
Elizabeth Boyle said her husband walked toward the truck and tried to stop Albert, but was hit with the lift axle tire. Albert saw Boyle was under the truck, then took off, the woman testified.
Police said they found Boyle on the ground being treated by an emergency medical technician before he was taken to the Lehigh Valley Hospital-Carbon campus and later to LVH-Cedar Crest, Allentown, where he was pronounced dead that night.
Lehigh County Coroner Daniel A. Buglio ruled the death a homicide.