Fatal Multi-vehicle Crash
Jackson Center – The Pennsylvania State Police have confirmed a road closure on Interstate 79 South in Mercer County was due to a fatal crash caused by Thursday’s weather conditions. In Franklin Township, at around noon on Thursday, a semi was stopped along with other traffic in the right lane due to slippery whiteout conditions, when another truck collided with its trailer. A personal vehicle that was unable to stop hit the second semi. The driver of the third vehicle, 22-year-old Austin Golab of Erie, was declared dead at the scene, and a passenger in one of the tractors was hospitalized. The highway was closed for about 4 hours while the scene was secured and cleared.
Poor and slippery conditions led to multiple accidents on and off the highway on Thursday, and speed limit restrictions had been issued on all major highways in Northwest PA.  Despite restrictions and the best efforts of crews to keep the roads passable, there were multiple accidents on Thursday, including at least one other multi-vehicle collision.