Car accident on Pennsylvania Turnpike leaves 1 dead

An 18-year-old man lost his life and four other people are in the hospital after a serious crash on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, according to local sources. Pennsylvania law enforcement responded to the car accident early on the morning of Oct. 20. The crash was severe enough to close lanes for several hours, but traffic was eventually cleared, though police are still continuing their investigation. 

It’s unclear which of the five passengers in the vehicle at the time of the crash was the driver, but it has been confirmed that the driver lost control of the vehicle while negotiating a curve. The vehicle struck a guard rail and spiraled into traffic where it entered the path of a tractor-trailer. It is unknown whether anyone in the vehicle was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash. 

One individual, an 18-year-old man, was rushed to a local hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival after the helicopter requested for airlift was grounded due to inclement weather. The other four individuals in the vehicle were taken to a second hospital — these people ranged in age from 17 to 26. Their conditions are unknown at this time, as is the condition of the tractor-trailer driver. 

It seems likely that Pennsylvania police will not charge the tractor-trailer driver as it was the driver of the passenger vehicle who lost control.  The reason why may shed light on the issue of culpability in this car accident.  If the driver is suspected of negligent conduct or intoxication, he or she may face criminal charges. Regardless, the injured parties, their representation and the representation of the deceased party will be entitled to file civil suits against the driver believed to have been responsible for the tragedy.

This blog entry was posted on behalf of [nap_names id=”FIRM-NAME-1″], and does not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the firm or its attorneys. The information presented in this blog is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be legal advice

Source: CBS Philadelphia, “1 Dead, 4 Hurt After Pa. Turnpike Crash“, Jan Carabeo, Mike Dougherty, Oct. 23, 2014