Police: Chesco woman gave booze to teens in fatal crash

A 22-year-old Chester County woman has been charged with furnishing alcohol to minors who were involved hours later in a fatal crash, state police said.

Jessica Lynn Copeland, of Honey Brook, faces misdemeanor charges, including furnishing alcohol to minors and corruption of minors.

Copeland, who was charged Wednesday, was not taken into custody and will be arraigned later.

Police said tests showed that Montgomery "Monte" Wood, 16, was under the influence of alcohol when he crashed a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution on Beaver Dam Road in Honey Brook Township on July 16.

Wood and his front-seat passenger, Brittany Leger, 15, were killed. Two other 15-year-old passengers, Damien Paterno and Cameron Merlino, were injured.

Police said the night before the crash, Copeland took Wood and Leger to a local Wine and Spirits store and a beer store, where she purchased alcohol for them. Copeland then drove them to her residence, where Paterno and Merlino were waiting, police said.

The four juveniles left with the alcohol, took it to a wooded area, and then to Wood's home, where they consumed it, police said.

Police said the teens were at a sleepover at Wood's house in Honey Brook Township when they decided to take the high-powered sports car out for a middle-of-the-night spin; none of the teens was a licensed driver.

Copeland describes herself on her Facebook page as 2007 graduate of Downingtown East High School who works as a dog groomer at Petsmart.

Contact staff writer Kathleen Brady Shea at 610-696-3815 or kbrady@phillynews.com.