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Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
December 23, 2013
By Joyce Gannon
Charges against a former top executive at PPG Industries involved in a fatal car crash in New Hampshire have been upgraded to second-degree murder from manslaughter.
State authorities declined to comment on why they elevated the charges against Robert Dellinger, former chief financial officer at Downtown-based PPG, who said he was depressed and attempting suicide.
Mr. Dellinger, 53, was driving a pickup truck on Dec. 7 on Interstate 89 in Lebanon, N.H., when he crossed the median and slammed into an SUV carrying an engaged couple from Wilder, Vt., who were expecting a child. Killed were Jason Timmons, 29, and Amanda Murphy, 24, who was eight months pregnant. Their unborn child also died.
Mr. Dellinger has not been charged in the death of the fetus.
He is scheduled for arraignment on the murder charges probably on Friday, said his attorney, R. Peter Decato of Lebanon, N.H. Prior to the new charges being filed Friday, Mr. Dellinger had been free on $250,000 cash bond, which he posted Dec. 12 after being charged with two counts of manslaughter. He now is back in jail.
Mr. Dellinger, who has a home in Sunapee, N.H., left PPG in June 2011 because of health issues after working for the coatings and glass company for less than two years. State authorities have said that on the morning of the crash, Mr. Dellinger argued with his wife over his antidepressant medication.
His lawyer told authorities he had been undergoing treatment for mental health issues in Kansas where he owns a home and where he worked for Sprint-Nextel about 10 years ago. He joined PPG in 2009.
After leaving PPG, Mr. Dellinger also worked as chief financial officer at Dynamics Inc. in Cheswick. He still owns a home in Edgeworth.