Man dead after incident on I-79 in Washington County

SOUTH STRABANE TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A man is dead after an incident on I-79 in Washington County.

According to a release from the Washington County Coroner’s office, the incident began after a driver got stuck in the median on I-79 near mile marker 40.5 in South Strabane Township at around 4:37 p.m. Sunday.

A state trooper began to help the driver when a second car pulled over near them. The driver of the second vehicle was a man who allegedly began making erratic statements, trying to get the trooper’s attention.

The trooper said he went back to his vehicle to request assistance and then approached the car belonging to the man who was acting erratically. When the trooper reached the man’s vehicle, he found him unresponsive and suffering from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The man later died.

The southbound lanes of I-79 between exits 41 and 43 and all lanes of Race Track Road were closed for around an hour and a half as police responded to the incident.

UPDATE: Police activity on I-79 southbound between Exit 43 - PA 519 and Exit 41 - Race Track Rd. All lanes closed.
— 511PA Statewide (@511PAStatewide) January 29, 2023

CLEARED: Police activity on I-79 southbound between Exit 41 - Race Track Rd and Exit 41 - Race Track Rd.
— 511PA Statewide (@511PAStatewide) January 29, 2023