Pictured are two of the three young women killed early Tuesday in a violent one-vehicle crash in western Pennsylvania that police say involved binge drinking. They are from left, Heather Nicole Camisa, 17, of Finleyville, Pa., and Bianca E. Herwig, 23, of McDonald, Pa. The third victim killed, not pictured here, was Paige Nicole Smith, 21
3 'binge-drinking' young women killed in violent Pa. crash
By John Luciew
jluciew@pennlive.com
Police in western Pennsylvania are investigating a violent one-car crash that killed three young women, including a teen-ager, and injured a fourth as a probable case of binge drinking.
According to KDKA-TV, Bethel Park Police in Allegheny County have uncovered Snapchat videos allegedly showing the women drinking heavily in the hours before the crash.
Police also found an empty bottle of vodka inside the SUV, KDKA reports.
"This was a very tragic accident, and it serves as an example of what can happen when you mix alcohol and driving in a vehicle," Bethel Park Police Chief Tim O'Conner told KDKA.
He added that the early Tuesday morning crash that sent the SUV carrying the four women into a utility pole, shearing it off, was the worst he's seen in 40 years on the job.
"I would speak to our teens and young adults out there, you're not invincible. You may set out to have a good time, and that's your intention, but when you mix alcohol and driving, you could (rather, WILL) wind up dead," O'Conner told KDKA.
Killed in the crash are, from left: Paige Nicole Smith, Bianca E. Herwig and Heather Nicole Camisa. (screen shot via Observer-Reporter.com) TribLive.com identified the victims as Heather Nicole Camisa, 17, of Finleyville, and Paige Nicole Smith, 21, both of whom died at the scene. Bianca E. Herwig, 23, of McDonald, Pa., died at an area hospital.
A fourth woman, age 21, was ejected in the crash and taken to an area hospital in critical condition.
The one-vehicle accident happened at 12:40 a.m. Tuesday on Library Road.
The police investigation continues.
Anyone with information is asked to call Allegheny County police or Bethel Park police at 412-473-1300.
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Alcohol might have played a role in a crash that killed three women – including a teenage girl -- and critically injured a fourth early Tuesday morning in Bethel Park, according to Allegheny County police officials.
Bethel Park police and paramedics responded to Library Road near Brightwood Road shortly before 1 a.m. for a report of a vehicle that hit a utility pole, according to a release from county police.
Officers arrived and found an SUV tangled in power lines that had fallen from the sheared pole. Three women were inside the SUV, and a fourth was thrown from the vehicle, police said.
The 21-year-old driver, who police have not identified, was pronounced dead at the scene, along with a passenger identified by the Allegheny County Medical Examiner's Office as Heather Nicole Camisa, 17, of Finleyville.
Bianca E. Herwig, 23, of McDonald, was removed from the SUV and taken to a hospital where she was pronounced dead about an hour later, according to the medical examiner.
The 21-year-old woman who was thrown from the vehicle was taken to a hospital where she remains in critical condition.
Police said the SUV was headed north on Library Road at a high rate of speed when it left the road and struck a pole. There were no signs any other vehicles were involved, police said.
Investigators said that evidence at the scene indicated alcohol might have been involved.
The crash remains under investigation. Anyone who heard or saw the SUV before the crash is asked to call Bethel Park police or Allegheny County police at 412-473-1300.