Three men charged following death of woman who allegedly was denied medical services
Three more men are charged for their alleged roles in covering up evidence needed into a death investigation out of Greene County.Greene County 911 dispatcher Leon Price was charged back in June with involuntary manslaughter after allegedly refusing to send an ambulance to Diania Kronk, who was falling ill, back in 2020. Kronk’s daughter called 911 but an ambulance never came. Kronk died within 24 hours after the call, according to David Russo, the Greene County District Attorney.On Thursday, Gregory Leathers, Richard Policz and Robert Rhodes were arraigned for their alleged roles in not providing the proper evidence needed to the county for their investigation of the call. “We had initiated search warrants back in 2020 looking for procedural manuals, standard operating procedures and directives,” Russo said. “We had gotten some information from them. Then over time, we had some individuals, which we gave whistleblower status to, who came to us and told us we were not given all that information that should’ve been provided in the warrants.” Russo said after they received that information, they obtained a secondary warrant for the 911 center and two for the county. The warrants were executed and Russo said the information alleged by the whistleblower was found. According to court documents, Leathers was the director of communications and Policz was the assistant director of communications at the time of the incident. Russo said all three men were either directors or supervisors during the incident. Russo also confirmed Leathers is the mayor of Waynesburg. “Everybody’s trusting (Leathers) in Waynesburg and look what he did, covered up my mother’s death,” said Kelly Titchenell, Kronk’s daughter, who called 911 the day before her death. “I am relieved that my mother’s going to get justice and hopefully everybody else they’ve wronged in Greene County.” All three men are facing a list of charges including tampering with public records and information, obstruction of justice and conspiracy. “As a district attorney, I’m elected to provide answers to the community. In this case, there was a death of a woman. I’m obligated ethically, morally and through my job duties to provide answers to the community and to the family of the death of Diania Kronk,” Russo told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4. Russo said Leathers, Policz and Rhodes were granted $25,000 unsecured bond on Thursday. All three have been scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Aug. 2. “In every case that we prosecute, we try to make the community safer. That’s the objective of prosecution, is to assure the community that we’re looking into, investigating the cases. Now, as far as any remedial measures that have been taken by the county officials, I can’t really comment on that,” Russo told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 on Friday. “Our primary concern right now is just to bring justice for the victims and serve them as we would serve anybody in our community.”The county commissioners, solicitor and the 911 center were not available to answer for interviews Friday.Russo could not confirm information on the employment status of the employees who were charged.”I am unaware. That would be a question for county officials who supervises those positions,” Russo said.
Three more men are charged for their alleged roles in covering up evidence needed into a death investigation out of Greene County.
Greene County 911 dispatcher Leon Price was charged back in June with involuntary manslaughter after allegedly refusing to send an ambulance to Diania Kronk, who was falling ill, back in 2020. Kronk’s daughter called 911 but an ambulance never came. Kronk died within 24 hours after the call, according to David Russo, the Greene County District Attorney.
On Thursday, Gregory Leathers, Richard Policz and Robert Rhodes were arraigned for their alleged roles in not providing the proper evidence needed to the county for their investigation of the call.
“We had initiated search warrants back in 2020 looking for procedural manuals, standard operating procedures and directives,” Russo said. “We had gotten some information from them. Then over time, we had some individuals, which we gave whistleblower status to, who came to us and told us we were not given all that information that should’ve been provided in the warrants.”
Russo said after they received that information, they obtained a secondary warrant for the 911 center and two for the county. The warrants were executed and Russo said the information alleged by the whistleblower was found.
According to court documents, Leathers was the director of communications and Policz was the assistant director of communications at the time of the incident. Russo said all three men were either directors or supervisors during the incident.
Russo also confirmed Leathers is the mayor of Waynesburg.
“Everybody’s trusting (Leathers) in Waynesburg and look what he did, covered up my mother’s death,” said Kelly Titchenell, Kronk’s daughter, who called 911 the day before her death. “I am relieved that my mother’s going to get justice and hopefully everybody else they’ve wronged in Greene County.”
All three men are facing a list of charges including tampering with public records and information, obstruction of justice and conspiracy.
“As a district attorney, I’m elected to provide answers to the community. In this case, there was a death of a woman. I’m obligated ethically, morally and through my job duties to provide answers to the community and to the family of the death of Diania Kronk,” Russo told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4.
Russo said Leathers, Policz and Rhodes were granted $25,000 unsecured bond on Thursday.
All three have been scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Aug. 2.
“In every case that we prosecute, we try to make the community safer. That’s the objective of prosecution, is to assure the community that we’re looking into, investigating the cases. Now, as far as any remedial measures that have been taken by the county officials, I can’t really comment on that,” Russo told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 on Friday. “Our primary concern right now is just to bring justice for the victims and serve them as we would serve anybody in our community.”
The county commissioners, solicitor and the 911 center were not available to answer for interviews Friday.
Russo could not confirm information on the employment status of the employees who were charged.
“I am unaware. That would be a question for county officials who supervises those positions,” Russo said.
