From staff reports
State police have released details on two crashes Thursday afternoon on Interstate 80 that occurred about an hour apart in a five-mile span.
The first crash, which was investigated by Franklin state police, happened at 3 p.m. near mile marker 32 in Irwin Township.
Police said a Dodge Durango driven by Benjamin Nixon, 32, of Brookville, was headed east on I-80 and struck a Freightliner rig from behind that was driven by David Kaveli, 52, of Brooklyn, New York. Police said Kaveli was slowing for an upcoming construction zone.
Kaveli wasn’t hurt, police said.
Nixon’s vehicle was towed from the scene.
Clintonville volunteer firefighters and Emlenton Ambulance personnel assisted.
Mercer state police investigated the second crash, which was also a two-vehicle wreck that occurred at about 4 p.m. at mile marker 27.2 just inside the Mercer County line in Wolf Creek Township.
Police said John Snyder, 65, of Parker, was traveling east in the right lane of Interstate 80 at 70 mph, in a Chevy Silverado pickup truck.
Michael Silvis, 36, of Oil City, was driving a semi and coming to a stop in the right lane due to a backlog of vehicles caused by the previous I-80 crash, police said.
Snyder became entrapped in his pickup and had to be extricated by physical means, according to police.
He was flown to St. Elizabeth Hospital in Youngstown by the STAT MedEvac helicopter for treatment of serious injuries, police said.
Silvis wasn’t hurt.
Both vehicles sustained damages and were towed from the scene.
Pine Township volunteer firefighters and Superior Ambulance assisted.
