3 dead, 2 flown to hospital after related crashes on Interstate 80 near Milesburg
Three people are dead and another two were flown to the hospital after a crash that happened just after midnight Tuesday on Interstate 80 near Milesburg.
A full closure of I-80 West from the Milesburg to Snow Shoe exits was in place for about 15 hours. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation wrote in a 3 p.m. news release that cleanup was ongoing but the right lane had reopened. Shortly after 5 p.m, PennDOT said both lanes were open.
Fire companies were dispatched at 12:04 a.m. to a reported vehicle crash with injuries and entrapment at mile marker 156, Citizens Hook & Ladder Fire Company posted on Facebook. Upon arrival, two tractor-trailers were found over the embankment and one passenger car was on its roof on the roadway.
In a press release, state police at Rockview wrote that two related crashes occurred. The first was a collision between a tractor-trailer and passenger car. The tractor-trailer went off the right side of the road and came to rest down an embankment.
The passenger car came to rest on the right shoulder of the roadway before it was struck by a second tractor-trailer. Two of the occupants were ejected with fatal injuries and a third passenger sustained fatal injuries in the vehicle, police wrote.
A good Samaritan who was walking on foot to approach the first crash scene was struck by the passenger car due to the force of collision when it was struck by the tractor-trailer, police wrote. The pedestrian was transported to UPMC Altoona with serious injuries.
The driver of the second tractor-trailer, which crashed off the left side of the roadway over an embankment, was also taken by helicopter to UPMC Altoona. Police did not provide a description of the driver’s injuries.
The driver of the first tractor-trailer had minor injuries, according to police. Identities of the victims has not yet been released pending notification of next of kin.
In addition to state police and Citizens Hook & Ladder from Milesburg, Logan Fire Company in Bellefonte and Snow Shoe Fire Company also responded.
With the road closure in place, Centre County 911 advised motorists to avoid the area if possible. Traffic was diverted off the interstate and detoured via Runville Road (state Route 144) to the Snow Shoe area.
This story was originally published June 20, 2023 at 6:42 AM.
