2 dead, multiple people injured along same Butler County road in 2 crashes hours apart

BUTLER COUNTY, Pa. — There were two serious crashes just hours apart on Route 38. Two people died and several people are seriously hurt.

The first crash happened on Route 38 near Spillway Lane Tuesday night around 6 p.m.

Pennsylvania State Police said two of the three drivers involved were killed.

While heading north on Route 38, a car drove into the southbound lane and struck an SUV head-on. The vehicles were hit by a tractor-trailer.

The driver of the car, Hayden Ernest, 19, and the driver of the SUV, Jacqueline Rock, 32, were both killed.

Wednesday morning’s wreck happened in Oakland Township along Route 38 near Weed Road. It happened just before 2 a.m. involving a tractor-trailer and a Jeep.

“I was up at the mall and by the grace of God I got delayed or I would have been in the accident or close to it,” said Ann Young.

Neighbors said Route 38 can be very dangerous because a lot of people speed on the road and they want drivers to slow down. Right now, state police are investigating both crashes.

“When I came out and saw the car roll over when it hit the semi, it flipped over on its side into another driveway. Sparks flying, everything flew out of the car,” said Justin Burkett.

He then called 911 and ran over to help.

“I grabbed some of the orange triangles out of the semi and directed traffic up so no one got hit anymore,” said Burkett.

State police said the Jeep was traveling southbound when it crossed over into oncoming traffic, hit an embankment, overturned, and then struck the semi.

The four people in the Jeep were all seriously hurt and rushed to area hospitals. They are all from the area. The driver is a 20-year-old woman. The three male passengers are ages 20, 18, and 13. Two of them were not wearing seat belts.

“You know they were flying because they flipped over, slid down, hit the rock, broke a piece of that rock off and hit the bank and slid down there,” said Rodger Weed.

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