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Saxonburg biker dies in crash in Fayette County

WHARTON TWP, Fayette County — A 75-year-old Butler County man was killed Sunday afternoon when his motorcycle crashed in a three-vehicle crash, state police said.

Wayne F. Deaner, 75, of Saxonburg died at the scene of the wreck about 1:30 p.m. on Route 40, about 11 miles east of Uniontown.

Police said the accident happened moments after an eastbound 2016 Chevrolet Cruze driven by Delbert L. Griffith, 73, of Uniontown made a U-turn across the westbound lane and stopped on the shoulder of the road behind a large sign.

When Griffith drove back onto the road, traveling west this time, the front tire of Deaner’s westbound 2004 Harley-Davidson Softail struck the car’s rear bumper.

The collision sent the motorcycle airborne and into a second car, a 2014 Kia Optima that Eric L. Hatfield, 31, of Connellsville, which was driving east on Route 40, according to a police report.

Fayette County Deputy Coroner Robert Furin pronounced Deaner dead. A cause of death was not available. A telephone call to the coroner’s office was not immediately returned this morning.

Neither Griffith nor Hatfield was injured.

Firefighters assisted police after the crash, which closed the well-traveled road for about four hours.

The investigation of the accident is ongoing, police said this morning, and it was not known if any charges would be filed.

The Fox Funeral Home in Saxonburg is handling funeral for Deaner.

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