The Westmoreland County Coroner’s office has confirmed that Marissa Bolish, a 17-year-old girl from Derry, was killed in a crash on Route 982 near Mission Road. The crash happened at 4:24 this morning. State Police Trooper Steven Limani said that a deer was allegedly crossing the road and the driver of the car, 18-year-old Brandon Ritenour of Greensburg, tried to avoid hitting the deer, lost control of the car and hit a light pole just off the road with the passenger side door. The road has been closed since the crash this morning. Bolish was pronounced dead on the scene by investigators from the Coroner’s office. Ritenour was taken to Excela Health Latrobe Hospital for treatment.
Bolish was a student in the Derry school district and grief counselors are being made available to students today. Limani said the road will remain closed until the light pole that was knocked over is replaced and power lines transferred to it. He estimates that it will reopen at 4:00 this afternoon. Power remains out for a handful of West Penn Power customers at this time.
