Broderick Balanti was traveling 74 mph without applying brakes until a second before impact when his personal vehicle, which lacked emergency lights, struck and killed 88-year-old Leroy Hart

By Roberta Burkhart
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

MONROEVILLE, Pa. — A Monroeville volunteer firefighter has been charged with vehicular homicide in the death of a motorist last year.

Allegheny County police on Monday filed charges against Broderick Balanti, 30, who was en route to a call when his Chevy Malibu struck a vehicle driven by 88-year-old Leroy Hart in October 2025, according to a report.

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Hart died less than two weeks later from injuries he suffered in the crash, police said.

The two men were traveling on Haymaker Road — Balanti north and Hart south — when the collision occurred; Hart was making a left onto McGinley Road to visit his wife at AHN Forbes Hospital and had just started to turn into the hospital entrance when Balanti’s vehicle struck him head-on, according to the criminal complaint.

Witnesses told police they saw Balanti’s car traveling “very fast” before the crash.

Monroeville firefighters had been dispatched to investigate an automatic fire alarm call on Delaney Drive at 6:21 p.m. and the crash occurred five minutes later. The fire alarm call was canceled while firefighters were still en route, police said.

Data from Balanti’s car revealed he had been traveling 74 mph two seconds before the crash and did not apply his brakes until one second before impact, the complaint stated.

Monroeville firefighters’ personal vehicles are not outfitted with blue emergency lights, according to authorities.

Balanti sustained a serious head wound in the crash, according to emergency responders at the scene. Hart was alert and conscious and helped from his vehicle by bystanders. Both men were taken to Forbes Hospital for treatment, police said.

Balanti has been charged with vehicular homicide, involuntary manslaughter, speeding and careless and reckless driving. He pleaded guilty in 2022 to operating a vehicle with unsafe or noncompliant equipment in North Versailles, court records show.

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