Two die in weekend crashes
Two men died in separate car crashes in the region during the weekend.
State police identified Norman Jacaszek, 92, of Glenshaw, as the victim of a crash at around 11:30 p.m. Friday on West Sunbury Road. According to state police, Jacaszek was driving southbound in a Hyundai Santa Fe when the vehicle crossed the double yellow line and hit a Ford F-150 truck traveling northbound.
Jacaszek was pronounced dead at the scene, while the other driver, Nicolas Michielli, 21, of Allison Park, was flown by medical helicopter to Allegheny General Hospital for a suspected serious injury. Both drivers were wearing seat belts and the air bags of both vehicles deployed, according to state police.
Responding units included Butler Ambulance Service, Unionville Fire Department, West Sunbury Volunteer Fire Department, Slippery Rock Volunteer Fire Department and Pennsylvania State Police. The scene was reported cleared at approximately 3 a.m.
A two-vehicle crash at around 1:20 p.m. Saturday in Rayburn Township, Armstrong County, left a 72-year-old Ford City man dead at the scene.
According to Armstrong County Coroner Brian Myers, Richard Alan Eckner drove westbound through a stop sign in his Ford Escape at the intersection of Upper Hayes Run Road and state Routes 28/66, the Alexander H. Lindsay Memorial Highway. Eckner’s vehicle was struck by a Dodge Durango driven by Erica Kirkpatrick of Kittanning, who was traveling northbound.
Eckner was pronounced dead on scene by Armstrong County Chief Deputy Coroner Robert Bellas, while Kirkpatrick and two children who were with her in the vehicle suffered non-life threatening injuries, according to a news release from Myers.
State police of Kittanning, Rayburn Township Volunteer Fire Department, Kittanning Township VFD, Pine Township VFD, Kittanning Hose Company 6 VFD and Kittanning Ambulance Service also responded to the scene.
The cause of the crash is under investigation by state police, Kittanning and the Armstrong County Coroner’s Office, according to the news release.
Eric Freehling contributed to this report.
