By
- Jenna Wise | jwise@pennlive.com
The former chairwoman of the Dauphin County Democrats has crashed a car three times in the county since last year, including one last week that damaged a historic Harrisburg mansion downtown
Rogette Harris crashed into the William Maclay Mansion, which houses the Pennsylvania Bar Association, on Aug. 26 on the 400 block of North Front Street. The mansion was built in 1792
Harris, 45, said she was driving home from a meeting at Perkins Restaurant around 9 p.m. when she crashed into the mansion’s front awning, knocking loose at least one pillar
No one was inside the mansion at the time. A Bar Association spokeswoman said the organization is assessing crash-related damage. The cost of the damage is not yet available
Harris hasn’t been cited in the crash, the third she’s been involved in since last year
Harris said a medical condition she has “became public” after her first crash in May 2025 on a highway, when she hit the back of a dump truck in an incident initially thought to be a hit-and-run because she left the scene
She said she’s been managing the unspecified condition with medication and her doctor’s help. The medication appeared to be working, she said, before the most recent crash
She said she hasn’t driven since the Aug. 26 crash and won’t until she gets answers from her doctor about whether her medical condition was responsible
“I am extremely grateful that no other car or person was involved in last week’s accident. I am blessed that I walked away without a scratch,” she said
“Millions of Americans live with and manage health conditions every day, and I am no different. I take this seriously. My responsibility now is to work with my medical professionals and make sure it is safe before I get behind the wheel again.”
Under state law, doctors and medical personnel who diagnose and treat conditions must report to PennDOT all conditions that could impair a person’s driving. The person who diagnosed the driver must report their condition in writing within 10 days, the law says, but only if the condition is one that could impair them for more than 90 days
PennDOT also looks to law enforcement and concerned family members and friends to report to the department’s Medical Unit any concern about a person’s medical condition that could make them an unsafe driver
Once a report is received, the medical unit may require a medical exam, a driver’s test or both
PennDOT’s Medical Advisory Board, whose 13-member board contains eight doctors, sets the list of physical and mental health criteria used to determine whether a driver is medically impaired
Harris did not respond when asked if she or her doctor reported her condition to PennDOT
History of crashes
Pennsylvania State Police said Harris was driving a blue Honda SUV on the afternoon of May 13, 2025, when she crashed into the back of a dump truck on Interstate 83 south in Lower Paxton Township
Trooper Chad Lammer saw the crash scene from the other side of the highway, including a woman getting into an SUV before he could turn around, he wrote in an affidavit of probable cause
She was charged in June 2025 with a misdemeanor and three summary driving offenses. Two months later, the misdemeanor was withdrawn, and she pleaded guilty to a single summary charge, following too closely. Harris was ordered to pay $181.95 in fines
In an August 2025 statement, she said the initial allegations against her were “incorrect” and that there’d never been a hit-and-run
“This is an important reminder of the need to let the full truth emerge before rushing to judgment,” Harris said
On Feb. 12, 2026, Harris crashed a gray Honda SUV at about 6:42 p.m. on South Front Street near Chestnut Street, court records show
Harris was cited for careless driving that day and ordered to pay $178.25 in fines and fees, according to a copy of the citation reviewed by PennLive. She pleaded guilty to the charge on March 6
The February scene is about two blocks from where she crashed into the Maclay Mansion last week. Harris did not say if she believes the February crash was also related to her medical condition
Harris lost her bid to remain DCDC chairwoman in June when former Steelton Mayor Ciera Dent emerged victorious in a two-way contest. Harris lost her committee seat in May’s election. She also previously worked in the county’s clerk of courts officebefore being terminated in May 2024 from the chaotic office
September 1, 2026.
Dan Gleiter | dgleiter@pennlive.com
Dan Gleiter | dgleiter@pennlive.com
Editor’s Note:Harris writes occasional opinion columns for PennLive
