Digital Forensics Dispatch

Mobile Forensic Evidence Shows Driver Playing Phone Game At The Time Of Fatal Motorcycle Crash

April 15, 2021

According to the Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune, Elizabeth Zivney faces a charge of second-degree reckless homicide stemming from the investigation into a deadly crash she was involved in on September 19, 2019.

The victim osf the crash, Deborah Johnson and her husband, were riding a Can-Am Spyder trike when Zivney crashed into them from the rear in her Chevy Cruze. While both riders were wearing helmets this was not enough to protect them from the violent impact. Johnson died due to her injuries while her husband’s shoulders, arm, ribs, pelvis and vertebrae all suffered fractures.

Zivney stated that her work phone had rung just before the crash but she mistakenly picked up her personal device instead just as the crash took place. However, a forensic examination of the device seemed to show that a gaming app called Lucky Gold had been open for 7 minutes and 54 seconds at the time of the incident. According to the complaint, the activity included “19 different game screens during the almost eight minutes”.  If Zivney is convicted of the charge of second-degree reckless homicide she faces a maximum sentence of 25 years.

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