More Details Released in Route 422 Accident Fatality

State Police troopers from the Kittanning barracks have released an incident report regarding the two-vehicle accident that killed one driver the morning of Thursday, December 11.

According to the report, at approximately 10:07AM, Mary Shaffer, 56 of Kittanning, was traveling east on State Route 422 and just passed Bradish Road in Plumcreek Township.

At the top of the hill, where the portion of roadway merges into a single lane, Shaffer lost control of her 2007 Dodge Caravan at the crest of the hill – due to driving too fast for the snow and ice-covered roadway conditions - , rotated counter-clockwise and into the westbound lanes – into the path of an oncoming 2005 Peterbilt driven by Bruce Harbison of Butler.

As well as being pronounced dead on-scene by County Coroner Brian Myers, Shaffer was not wearing her seatbelt. It was fastened underneath her at the time of the crash. Shaffer was pronounced dead due to blunt force trauma to the head and thorax.

Traffic was closed in both directions between Margaret Road and State Route 210 due to the crash. The road was reopened shortly before 1PM.