Penn State student jailed, charged with vehicular homicide in fatal State College crash
A suspended Penn State student was arrested Thursday on a vehicular homicide charge after investigators accused him of driving recklessly in a crash that killed a fellow student.
Ahmed M. Alqubaisi, 20, of the United Arab Emirates, was speeding when he slammed his 2024 BMW M3 into a woman jogging about 8 p.m. Tuesday along the 200 block of East Park Avenue, State College police wrote in an affidavit of probable cause.
Police did not indicate how fast Alqubaisi was driving, but a detective wrote it was “a higher rate of speed than would be deemed safe in that area.” The road was wet, borders the University Park campus and video captured the events leading up to the collision.
Alqubaisi was driving westbound when he lost control of his sports sedan, crossed the eastbound lane and hit Lovisa Arnesson-Cronhamre, police wrote.
Arnesson-Cronhamre, 25, of Sweden, was a doctoral student studying architectural engineering, university spokesman Wyatt DuBois wrote in an email Wednesday.
Her injuries, police wrote, included a brain bleed, a broken neck, a shattered right arm and a broken foot. She was taken to Mount Nittany Medical Center before being flown by medical helicopter to UPMC Altoona.
“We are heartbroken over the tragic loss of Lovisa Arnesson-Cronhamre, and we send our deepest condolences to her family and loved ones,” DuBois wrote. “... Penn State Student Affairs has been in touch with her family and friends and is providing support to those who have been impacted.”
The crash knocked down a light pole. Evidence also showed the rear of Alqubaisi’s vehicle was “in a raised position” when it struck a tree, police wrote.
Alqubaisi has limited driving experience, police wrote. He was driving with a learner’s permit and did not have a licensed driver in the vehicle with him as required, police wrote.
Alqubaisi was also charged with one misdemeanor count each of involuntary manslaughter and recklessly endangering another person, as well as two summary traffic violations. A defense lawyer was not listed.
He was arraigned Thursday by District Judge Gregory Koehle, who denied bail. He is detained at the Centre County Correctional Facility.
Alqubaisi is suspended from the university and has no other ties to the United States, police wrote. A detective expressed concern Alqubaisi may not remain in Pennsylvania.
His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Sept. 27.
There were 13 fatal pedestrian crashes during the past decade in Centre County, the most recent data published by the state Transportation Department showed.
Three were reported in State College, the most of any municipality in the county. The most recent in the borough, according to the data that was reported through last year, was 2016.
