By Manuel Gamiz Jr. Of The Morning Call
Sixteen-year-old Christina Martucci was driving with a ”significant amount” of marijuana in her blood when she failed to yield at a stop sign, leading to a collision with a school bus that killed a Liberty High School classmate on the first day of school, Bethlehem police say.

Police ended their six-week investigation this week, concluding that marijuana use and the stop-sign violation were the key factors that led to the Aug. 31 crash at Lincoln Street and Easton Avenue.

Bill Blake, a Northampton County assistant district attorney, said blood tests showed Martucci had more than two times the minimum level of marijuana metabolite in her blood needed to prosecute for driving under the influence. The minimum level is 5 nanograms of marijuana metabolite per milliliter of blood.

The police officer heading the investigation, Kenneth Jones, said Martucci had a ”significant amount” of marijuana in her system.

Police said they also found 1.2 grams of marijuana in a ”blunt” cigarette — marijuana rolled in cigar paper — in Martucci’s purse and 2.7 grams of marijuana and a smoking pipe in Smith’s backpack.
Source: www.educatingvoices.org/EVINews.asp Oct.2004