Community members call for changes on Fayette County road after crash that killed 5 people

WHARTON TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A stuffed animal and cross now mark the spot of the horrific crash where five people died including a 7-month-old baby.

The Fayette County coroner said Harold Nibert, 55; Bradley Thivener, 47; Krystal May, 36; Amanda Dawson, 33; and her son Kullen Dawson, 7 months, were all in the same car when they were killed in the crash Tuesday afternoon on March 26.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> 5 people, including infant, killed in Fayette County crash

According to the coroner, Nibert was driving the Honda Accord when he crossed the double yellow line on Route 40 near New Meadow Run Drive and hit a tractor-trailer head-on. All five victims were from Delaware, Ohio.

Monday evening, the community and local leaders rallied together calling for change along the busy stretch.

Brian VanSickle chairs the Wharton Township Board of Supervisors and is also Farmington’s fire chief. He responded to last week’s deadly crash.

“We’re tired of it,” VanSickle said. “We don’t want to see these anymore in our community.”

Stacy Kenes lives along Route 40 in Wharton Township near the site of last Tuesday’s crash and heard it happen. She was at Monday’s public meeting and would like to see the speed limit lowered.

“I see that people think it must be a speedway. The speed limit past my house is 45. No one does 45,” Kenes said. “People just need to slow down.”

The township’s board of supervisors passed a resolution Monday requesting PennDOT do a traffic study.

State Rep. Charity Krupa (R-Fayette) is promising to advocate for that study.

“I don’t have a magic wand; I can’t demand that PennDOT do anything,” Krupa said. “Let the experts come in, determine what improvements can be done and what specifically has caused these accidents and how we can address it.”

A spokesperson for PennDOT said there have been at least 13 crashes along Route 40 near Nemacolin from 2018 to 2022.

Over the Labor Day weekend last September, two people were killed when two cars collided.

“I think seven bodies in six months demands change,” VanSickle said.

VanSickle wants to see the speed limit lowered from 45 - and 55 in some parts - to 35 miles per hour.

“We’re imploring everybody coming through Wharton Township and Route 40, slow down,” said VanSickle. “We got kids that travel this road. We got friends. We got family.”

Township leaders said they’re in the process of drafting the letter to  PennDOT for a speed and safety study.

A spokesperson for PennDOT told Channel 11 that if they get the request for a traffic study, they would do one to determine what speed limit is best for the roadway

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