ROSTRAVER TWP., Pa. — Three people were injured in a crash on Interstate 70, where one vehicle involved went over the side of a bridge in Westmoreland County
According to the Rostraver Fire Department, the incident occurred on I-70 eastbound at the bridge over the Youghiogheny River around 10:31 a.m.
Two vehicles were involved, one of which went over the side of the bridge. One person was also ejected and one person was entrapped, according to the fire department.
Pennsylvania State Police said a vehicle driven by Edward J. Karol, 34, of Monessen, rear-ended a vehicle driven by Robert K. Wilson, 59, of Washington. Both vehicles then careened out of control into the eastbound grass embankment. Wilson’s vehicle then overturned before coming to rest, while Karol’s vehicle rolled multiple times and hit a bridge abutment before going over the side and coming to rest on an embankment near the Youghiogehny River Trail.
Crews used the Jaws of Life to extricate one person and a rope system to remove occupants of the vehicle that went over the bridge. All three people were flown to local hospitals.
Police said Karol suffered suspected serious injury, Wilson suffered suspected minor injuries, and a passenger in Wilson’s vehicle, Michael E. Tew, 21, of Melborne, Fla., suffered serious injuries.
Tew’s father posted on Facebook saying his son is in the ICU, after being ejected with multiple injuries and had surgery. He said Karol was going 100 miles per hour when he rear ended Wilson’s vehicle.
The State Police Crash Reconstruction Team spent hours on scene and are still investigating. No charges have been filed yet in this case, but they are investigating this as a DUI incident.
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