A Nesquehoning police officer who has been on administrative leave for nearly two years after he slammed into a vehicle at a high rate of speed while allegedly chasing a suspect and killing a passenger has been terminated by the borough.

Tonight, council, following a brief executive session, voted to terminate the employment of officer Steven Homanko of Beaver Meadows effective immediately.Homanko faces charges of homicide by vehicle, involuntary manslaughter, aggravated assault by a vehicle, recklessly endangering another person, and other charges as a result of a crash in May 2014 that killed one woman and severely injured her husband. If convicted, he can face up to 7 years in prison for the homicide by vehicle and aggravated assault charges alone.The crash happened just before 6:30 p.m. on May 12, 2014.Homanko told dispatchers he was attempting to stop a yellow Dodge Neon when he lost control of his 2009 Crown Victoria. The vehicle crossed over into the oncoming lane and crashed into an oncoming 2007 Toyota Yaris, killing 69-year-old Carola Sauers and severely injuring her husband, Michael, 64, who was the driver.The Sauerses were from Hazleton. Michael Sauers was a second-grade teacher in the Pleasant Valley School District. Carola, born in Germany, was a physical therapy assistant.The crash happened as Homanko, with the lights and siren activated, rounded a curve about one and one-half miles north of the intersection of routes 209 and 93, between Nesquehoning and Jim Thorpe."I just crashed. I just crashed ... I need medics," Homanko told dispatchers at 6:22 p.m., according to scanner reports.Homanko was taken by ambulance to Lehigh Valley Hospital, Salisbury Township, where he was treated and released.On May 28, 2014, Nesquehoning Borough Council placed Homanko on leave untili the completion of the investigation and he has not worked another shift since.Homanko was formally charged by state police on May 6, 2015 by Pennsylvania State Police. His charges were bound over to Carbon County Court following a nearly five-hour preliminary hearing in front of Lehigh County District Judge Joan Snyder last June and he is awaiting trial.