State police have released a report on a three-vehicle crash that closed Route 422 for about four hours in Pine Township yesterday morning.
Police have not publicly identified any of the people involved in the crash, which occurred at about 6 AM. A westbound vehicle operated by a 20-year-old man from Cowansville, Armstrong County, crossed into the opposite lane of travel for unknown reasons, into the path of a coal truck driven by a 61-year-old Dixonville man. The truck driver swerved left to avoid a collision just as the other vehicle swerved right to get back into his lane. The coal truck rammed into the left side of the other vehicle, and then hit a third vehicle, operated by a 23-year-old Holsopple woman. The coal truck then overturned, spilling its load of coal over both lanes of travel. One of its fuel tanks ruptured, prompting a call for the Indiana County Hazmat team to clean up about 120 gallons of spilled fuel.
Police say the driver and a passenger in the first vehicle, and the woman whose vehicle was also struck, were taken to Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center with moderate to major injuries. The coal truck driver had minor injuries and was taken to the Indiana Regional Medical Center.
Three other accident reports have also been released by state police in Indiana.
In the crash last Thursday afternoon, police say a vehicle driven by 62-year-old William Banko of Seward crossed the center line of Route 56 in East Wheatfield Township at the Power Plant Road intersection, colliding with a coal truck operated by 44-year-old Thomas Blystone of Homer City. Banko had minor injuries and was taken to an unnamed hospital. Blystone was not hurt.
A Home woman has been charged with driving under the influence and recklessly endangering another person after a crash into a house along Washington Church Road in Rayne Township last Friday afternoon. State police do not identify the woman in their report, but the online case docket identifies her as 55-year-old Carmen Lynn Tyger. The crash happened at around three o’clock in the afternoon. Police say the vehicle crashed into the house while Tyger’s 59-year-old husband was standing nearby. Tyger is scheduled for a preliminary hearing September 25th before District Judge Guy Haberl.
There is also a report on a Saturday accident, which happened just after noon on Route 22 near Clay Pike Road in West Wheatfield Township. A car driven by 22-year-old Cierra Tate of Plum traveled off the highway and struck the guardrail, rolling over and coming to rest on its roof. Tate and her passenger both escaped injury.
