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| The Ellwood City man killed in a one-car accident on Saturday night has been identified as Benjamin Junkin, 19. |
The Ellwood City man killed in a one-car accident on Saturday night has been identified as Benjamin Junkin, 19.
Ellwood City police reported that Junkin’s brakes apparently failed on Wampum Avenue at Bridge Street. His car went airborne, went over a hill, struck a couple of trees and rolled. Junkin was ejected from the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
The two passengers in the car, Kaileah Vellone, 21, of 616 Todd Ave., Ellwood City, who was Junkin’s fiancee, and Haley Vellone, 17, of 790 Seventh St., West Pittsburg, suffered minor injuries and were treated at Ellwood City Hospital and released.
Officers said that neither Junkin nor his passengers were wearing seat belts.
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ELLWOOD CITY, Pa. -
One person was killed and two others were hurt when a car was unable to stop on a steep hill in Ellwood City and crashed into a tree.
The crash happened just after 8 p.m. Saturday on Bridge Street.
According to police, the driver reported issues with the car's brakes. He was trying to make it from New Castle to Ellwood City. A second vehicle was following the one that crashed.
Police said the driver of the crashed vehicle was using the emergency brake but it also failed.
"The emergency brake apparently give out coming down bridge street near the old Saint Agatha School," said Wayne Parsons, of the Ellwood City Police Department. "He {came} down through Orchard Avenue, past Hazel Avenue, across State Route 65, across First Street, and across Wampum Avenue, through a parking lot, like a driveway, then over embankment."
Two women were able to escape the crashed vehicle. They were taken to the hospital, treated and released. The driver died. His name has not been released.
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Brake Failure Causes Crash, Killing One Teen
Posted By: EllwoodCity.org Staff July 9, 2018
According to published reports and a video, a one vehicle crash late Saturday night resulted in the fatality of a Union teenager after brake failure left his car helplessly careening down Bridge Street.
The accident happened around 9:45 p.m. on Wampum Avenue at Bridge Street. According to reports, police said the driver had been trying to use his hand brake to stop the vehicle, but that also failed. His vehicle went over the embankment, striking at least two trees and rolling over, although it did not end up in the Connoquenessing Creek below.
The emergency brake apparently gave out coming down Bridge Street near the old Saint Agatha School.” said Wayne Parsons, of the Ellwood City Police Department in a WPXI video report. “He came down through Orchard Avenue, past Hazel Avenue, across State Route 65, across First Street, and across Wampum Avenue, through a parking lot, then over the embankment.”
Two women were able to escape the crashed vehicle. They were taken to the hospital, treated, and released.
Ellwood City fire and police were on the scene along with North Sewickley, Franklin Township and Wampum fire departments.
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Life Legacy
Benjamin I. Junkin, 19, of Union Twp. passed away Saturday evening July 7, 2018, in Ellwood City, from injuries sustained in an automobile accident.
Ben was born February 15, 1999, in New Castle, the son of Megan G. Junkin and Christopher W.L. Weir.
He attended St. Vitus Parochial School, Union Area High School and graduated from the Lawrence Co. Career and Technical Center in 2017.
Ben was a member of St. Mary’s Church, Mary, Mother of Hope Parish, where he served as an altar server for nine years. He loved kids and loved being the Easter Bunny at the church’s annual Easterfest.
A gifted artist and performer, he participated in many of the performing arts programs at Union High School, including: playing in both the Marching and Jazz Bands, singing in the School Choir, and acting in both the Drama Club and school plays. Ben was also a member of Student Council, the Robotics Club, and the Track and Field Team.
When not in school, he performed with the Mahoning Valley Chorale and enjoyed writing and recording his own music. He also enjoyed playing lacrosse and participated in Soapbox Derby racing for years as a child.
An outdoorsman, Ben was a former member of the Boy Scouts of America and always looked forward to hunting, camping and fishing.