Driver killed after collision with truck in Richland Twp.
RICHLAND TWP, Allegheny County — A mid-morning crash on Route 8 at the intersection of Sandy Hill and Cunningham roads left one person dead Wednesday.
At the scene, Northern Regional Police Department Chief John Sicilia said emergency crews got a call around 9:30 a.m. that a black Mercury traveling north on Route 8 collided head-on with a roll-off Penn Waste truck.
“The truck was going south,” Sicilia said. “It was actually stopped at the stoplight.”
The Mercury crossed the center line for some unknown reason and hit the truck in the southbound lane just outside the Harvest Valley Farms store.
According to Sicilia, early reports from witnesses said the operator of the Mercury, a man, had been driving erratically before the crash.
Sicilia said the driver — the sole occupant of the vehicle — was pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver of the truck was transported to a local hospital as a precaution, according to Sicilia. Neither individual was identified by police Wednesday.
Aside from the Northern Regional Police Department, emergency crews responding to the crash were Middlesex Township Police Department, Richland Township Volunteer Fire Department and West Deer Volunteer Fire Department.
Forensics teams inspected the sight around 12:30 p.m. Richland Township Public Works Department assisted with road cleanup.
Traffic was stopped from Glasgow to Bakerstown roads for most of the morning and early afternoon. One lane was opened around noon to let traffic through.
The crash is still under investigation, according to Sicilia. No further details are available at this time.
