Man killed in 20 vehicle I-80 pileup

From staff reports

One person was killed in a 20-vehicle pileup late Monday morning on Interstate 80 in Jefferson County.

DuBois state police said the crash occurred shortly after 11 a.m. in the eastbound lanes near mile marker 73 in Union Township.

Police said the pileup was triggered when a truck tractor and semi-trailer struck a stopped vehicle that had been involved in a separate crash. Police said a GMC Sierra subsequently struck the left back quarter panel of the truck tractor, and a third vehicle, a Freightliner FLD120, then struck the rear of the Sierra and traveled over the Sierra.

The male driver of the Sierra was killed, and the drivers of the two other vehicles escaped injury.

Police didn’t identify any of the drivers, and they said more information will be released when their investigation is finished.

The pileup, which included several other cars and tractor-trailers, caused a shutdown of the interstate for several hours. Both eastbound lanes were closed to mile marker 81 (Hazen).

The traffic was detoured off I-80 to Route 322 and then back to the interstate at the Hazen exit.

The crash resulted in several injuries, and people were taken to both Clarion and Brookville hospitals, according to a Jefferson County 911 dispatcher.

Several other individuals were taken to a Red Cross shelter that was set up at the Corsica fire hall because they were stranded as a result of the crash.

Agencies that responded to the call included Corsica and Brookville volunteer firefighters, Jefferson County EMS, Clarion Hospital EMA, Falls Creek Hazmat and Central fire company.

A second crash occurred later Monday on I-80 near mile marker 104 in Clearfield County, and a man was also killed in that crash.

DuBois state police said a tractor-trailer had jackknifed and was blocking both westbound lanes of I-80. Four other vehicles then struck the tractor-trailer, and one of those other drivers left his vehicle and was struck and killed by a sixth vehicle, police said.

Police said more details about that crash will be released when their investigation is finished.