Salem Township man dead after 8-vehicle accident on Route 22 Driver charged with homicide by vehicle, says brakes failed
UPDATED 3:05 PM EDT Jun 15, 2016
SALEM TOWNSHIP, Pa. —One person is dead and the driver of a tractor-trailer has been arrested following an eight-vehicle crash that kept Route 22 closed for hours Tuesday in Westmoreland County.
The medical examiner identified the victim as Albert Tomasino, 67, of Salem Township. An autopsy was scheduled for Wednesday.
The accident happened near The Lamplighter restaurant, not far from where the highway connects with Route 66.
State police interviewed the truck driver while they investigated at the scene. Troopers later charged the driver, identified as 26-year-old Cruz Humberto Guzman-Nieves, with homicide by vehicle, aggravated assault by vehicle, failure to stop at a red light, careless driving and driving at a safe speed.
Guzman-Nieves, of Illinois, was arraigned via video from the Westmoreland County Prison, where he remained in lieu of posting $500,000 bail.
Police said Guzman-Nieves told them he tried to brake the tractor-trailer but that the truck, which was hauling Coca-Cola products, was too heavy. He told police the truck didn't have an engine brake. Guzman-Nieves said he saw the traffic light at Mark Drive and Route 22 turn yellow, so he tried to slow down.
"Accused related that when it turned red, he tried to gear down the truck and did not want to brake because the brakes were already hot," troopers wrote in an affidavit of probable cause. "Accused said that he checked the brakes about 50 minutes prior and stopped for approximately 35 minutes because they were smoking."
Three people were taken to hospitals. Tomasino was among them and was pronounced dead at UPMC Presbyterian around 2:30 p.m. The two other patients suffered non-life-threatening injuries, according to fire officials at the scene.
Guzman-Nieves' truck hit seven other vehicles. Traffic remained closed on Route 22 for hours.
"I just kind of saw a truck coming across the median, pushing several cars. It hit the front of my car, spun around and hit this white car," witness Matthew Shollar said. "The truck went across the median and plowed into those several cars over there."
Tomasino was described by neighbors as a kind man who cared for his wife, who was living with an illness that required constant care.
"He was a very loving, kind, hard-working fellow with a good sense of humor," Hilda Aspden said. "The neighborhood is extremely close so they'll take care of Karen (Tomasino). She is a very sweet lady and our hearts are with her."