Saturday, January 3, 2015

2 pedestrians die, as icy roads lead to accidents throughout Western Pennsylvania

2 pedestrians die, as icy roads lead to accidents throughout Western Pennsylvania



An early morning ice storm Saturday slickened roads throughout Western Pennsylvania, caused dozens of accidents and contributed to the deaths of two pedestrians, emergency officials said.

Freezing drizzle coated roads with ice beginning around 5:30 a.m., dispatchers reported. Conditions began to improve around 9:30 a.m. as the temperature began to rise in southern counties. A winter weather advisory remained in effect for northern counties.

An Apollo man was run over by his van in front of his First Street second-hand store at about 7:30 a.m.

Gary Beigay, 68, of First Street, had just parked, and his van started to slide on the icy street and he went behind the van to stop it, Armstrong County Chief Deputy Coroner Robert Bellas said.

Beigay was standing behind his van when it started to move backward, and witnesses saw it roll over him, Apollo police Officer Ron Baustert said.

Bellas said Beigay died from injuries to the chest. The death has been ruled an accident.

Baustert said Beigay has a First Street address but usually stayed with relatives in North Apollo.

The Allegheny County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed a pedestrian died at Lakewood and Rocklege drives in Aleppo Saturday morning.

Kimberly Moran, 49, of Aleppo died after being struck by a car sliding on the ice, according to Ohio Township police Chief Norbert Micklos. Moran had been walking two dogs at time time of the accident. The car pushed Moran against a fiberglass utility box, Micklos said.

WPXI also reported a salt truck slid into a home in Shaler.

Dispatchers said drivers were stuck on many roads because of the ice.

City road crews began to treating roads and bridges at 4 a.m. in preparation for the freezing rain, according to a statement from Katie O'Malley, city spokeswoman. There was no opportunity to pre-treat roads. Had dry roads been pre-treated, the material would have been washed away by the rain, prior to freezing temperatures.

The National Weather Service in Pittsburgh said freezing rain was expected to last in the area until about 10 a.m. The advisory stretched west from Zanesville, Ohio, south to Morgantown, W.Va., east to Westmoreland County and north to the Interstate 80 corridor.

The National Weather Service in State College also issued a winter weather advisory for Somerset, Cambria and Clearfield counties.

PennDOT reduced the speed limit on major highways including Interstates 79, 376, 279 and 579 to 45 mph. It is urging motorists to stay off the roads.

The Port Authority of Allegheny County is also reporting delays on bus routes. The light-rail system is on schedule.

PennDOT reported a multi-vehicle accident on Route 28 southbound near Millvale with lanes blocked for a time, as well as an accident on Interstate 79 northbound at the Route 60 interchange in Robinson.

Route 28 between Tarentum and RIDC Park reopened after a short closure, but state police said motorists should proceed with caution because of possible refreezing. Firefighters reported at least one car slid into a house along Crescent Boulevard Extension in Crescent.

Area police are urging people to stay off the roads.