State police have determined that a crash between a police SUV and a garbage truck in the early morning hours of July 14th was the fault of the state trooper behind the wheel of the SUV.
According to reports, Trooper Michael Stewart III died in the crash on Route 711. State Police out of Greensburg, who have been investigating the crash, said that the SUV Stewart was driving was the at-fault vehicle. A number of factors played into the crash, including foggy conditions, wet roads, sight distance of the roadway and the speed of the SUV. Stewart was driving the SUV with his partner, Trooper Travis November, were going South on 711 when they collided with the side of a garbage truck owned by McInchok Sanitation of Ligonier. The truck had made a left turn out of a parking lot and onto 711 when the crash happened. Both officers were wearing their seatbelts.
Trooper November is continuing to recover from his injuries. State Police have said there will be no further comment on the investigation.
