Harrisburg, Pa. - Police have filed charges against a driver accused in a two-vehicle crash that killed a taxi cab driver and his passenger on the Market Street Bridge in Harrisburg.

Andrew Denezza, 30, of Swatara Township, surrendered to police on Friday and was released on his own recognizance.

He was charged with drunken driving, two counts of homicide by vehicle while DUI, aggravated assault by vehicle while DUI, and several related offenses. According to court documents, Denezza's blood-alcohol content was .10 and his blood tested positive for marijuana.

"Marijuana was having an active influence on his body according to the records," First Deputy District Attorney Fran Chardo said.

Police said he also admitted he was using his phone around the time of the crash. "He said he was texting," said Harrisburg police Chief Charles Kellar.  "I have no reason to believe he wasn't."

Police say Denezza crossed the center line while traveling eastbound on the bridge and hit the westbound taxi head-on. The Oct. 30 crash killed the cab driver, 34-year-old Michael Amissah of Harrisburg, and one of his passengers, 28-year-old Kristin Bowser of Camp Hill.

Bowser's husband, 31-year-old Christopher Bowser, sustained serious injuries in the crash. Denezza was treated at Penn State Hershey Medical Center and released.

"Under the influence of alcohol, under the influence of drugs, and texting at the same time, obviously that's a lethal combination," Chardo said. "Any one of them can cause a fatality. This one in combination caused two."

Denezza's attorney, Richard Wagner, said his client is distraught. "He comes from a very solid family and he's extremely upset by this," Wagner said. "He's very remorseful that the accident happened."

Wagner said it's not clear at this point what caused the accident. "He is somewhat of the everyday person, as we are, that sometimes incidents happen, accidents happen," he said. "But that doesn't necessarily make someone criminal as a result of that."

A friend and co-worker of  Amissah, Lee Bigelow, said he is glad to see someone held responsible for the deaths. He said Amissah was from Ghana and worked to provide for his fiancee and two children. "We get in the cab every day and we never know if that's gonna be the day," Bigelow said.

Bigelow said Amissah liked the "American" lifestyle and "liked to joke around."  He also described his friend as a hard worker. "Mike's just one of those other guy out to make a couple extra dollars that night and at the same time make sure somebody else doesn't die on the road," he said. "It's really tragic he happened to be the one."

Bowser worked at the Hamilton Health Center in Harrisburg.  CEO Jeannine Peterson called the deaths "senseless" and said "now the legal system must run its course."

Denezza is a graduate of Bishop McDevitt High School and worked as a chef at a local restaurant.  Police said they believe he had a few drinks at that restaurant and was returning home from work the night of the crash.

If convicted of the two counts of homicide by vehicle while DUI, Denezza could face a minimum sentence of three years behind bars for each of the people killed.  Those sentences, by law, would run consecutively.

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