Pennsylvania State Police and emergency responders at the scene on Saturday.
Submitted photo
Pennsylvania State Police have released details of a horrific head-on collision before 5 p.m. Saturday on State Route 27 in Pittsfield Township in which the two drivers died.
State Police reported a 2017 Dodge Challenger, driven by Ryan Nelson, 24, of Vandergrift, crossed the center while negotiating a right curve at a high rate of speed. The vehicle crossed into the westbound lane and crashed head-on into a 2014 GM Acadia driven by Tyler Bean, 23, of Titusville and accompanied by Lillian Bel, of Polk, Pa.
Almost immediately, community members responded.
Pittsfield resident Haley Jane Frazier said she and her husband were playing with their children in the back yard when the accident happened.
“You could hear the Challenger revving and going fast all the way from the Fairgrounds.” Frazier said. “It was going fast, really fast. If it wasn’t going in triple digits, it was close. Then there was squealing tires and a huge crash. Smoke started coming up immediately.”
She and her husband were on the scene within 30 seconds.
Another witness stated, “There were gigantic orange flames with black smoke billowing from the crash, then a huge explosion. We are a small community and people swarmed out of their houses to help.”
Frazier said, “The community really pulled together to do what they could. People grabbed fire extinguishers from the restaurant to try and put out the fire in the Challenger, but it was too far gone. The smoke on the inside of the Acadia was so thick you could hardly see, but my husband saw movement on the passenger side and managed to open the door. The smoke was so thick we could hardly breathe. We dragged the woman away from the car. Luckily, there was an RN that was a Pittsfield native to help give first aid till help came.”
Bell, who remained conscious, told her caretakers that it was her birthday. She was airlifted to UPMC Hamot in Erie, Pa., from Friendship Field in Pittsfield.
The Challenger was fully engulfed in flames following the collision. The police report stated that it was burned beyond recognition.
Both Nelson and Bean were pronounced dead at the scene.
Local residents often worry about speeding in Pittsfield. “This is where we live.” Frazier said, “It’s where families and kids play and ride bikes. There’s no reason to speed like that through a residential area.”
There was another big accident in town a couple years ago.
Volunteers from Wrightsville, Spring Creek and Garland Volunteer Fire Departments responded to the scene, as well as PENNDOT, Warren County Coroners and Hillview Towing. The road was closed or restricted until 10:36 pm.
An investigation is ongoing. The state police will be bringing in a Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Specialist to look at the crash site.
