Traffic Blotter: Accidents in Pine Township

The following accidents occurred in Pine Township.

Woman’s Rental Car Damaged

Jennifer Benkarski told police her 2012 Ford rental car was damaged when she parked it on Greenwood Drive in Pine Township, according to a police report.

Benkarski was visiting family when she parked her Avis rental vehicle on the street around 3:45 p.m. on June 11, police said. When she returned to the vehicle at 9:45 a.m. on June 12, she found minor damage to the left rear, police said.

Changing Lanes Ends in Collison

Joseph Schott, 81, of Butler told police he was driving his 2002 Hyundai XG350 southbound on Route 19/Perry Highway in front of Wright Pontiac on June 9 when he decided to merge from the left lane into the right lane, according to the police report.

As he merged at about 6:30 p.m., his vehicle struck a 2008 Chevrolet Trailblazer that was in the right lane, police said. The Trailblazer was driven by Nancy Closky, 48, of Bridgeville, said police.

Minor Runs Into Back of Vehicle

A 2001 Dodge Ram driven by a 17-year-old ran into the back of a 2006 Mercedes C350 that was stopped for a school bus on Logan Road about 3 p.m. June 6, police said.

Both vehicles were traveling west on Logan Road near the intersection with North Wind Court in Pine Township, police said.

Andrew Gibes, 33, of Wexford had come to a complete stop when his Mercedes was hit from behind, the police report stated.

Gibes complained of neck pain and was evaluated by McCandless EMS, but refused medical transport, according to the report.

Vehicle Leaving Amarabica Crashes Into Another

Two vehicles collided in front of Amarabica Coffee House in Pine Township about 5 p.m. June 3 when one driver tried to make a left onto Route 19 northbound, police said.

Emily Dressen, 19, of Mars told police she was trying to turn left from the coffee shop’s parking lot at 11915 Perry Highway when a driver in the right lane stopped and waved her out, according to the police report.

Dressen said she merged onto Route 19 northbound and drove into the right side of a 2004 Hyundai Sonata driven by Aparna Nigam, 24, of Sewickley, who was travelling south on Route 19 in the left lane, police said.

Nigam told police she slowed and then stopped for a traffic light when Dressen drove into her vehicle, the police report states. She stated that Dressen was looking southbound when she merged into the left lane, police said.

Volkswagen Runs Off Road, Hits Tree

A 2004 Volkswagen Beetle convertible had to be towed May 27 after it was driven off the road and hit a tree as the driver avoided hitting an oncoming vehicle in Pine Township, police said.

Chelsea Mauro, 18, of Leesburg, VA, stated she was driving east on Route 910, between North Chapel Drive and Hill Road, at about 5 p.m. when a vehicle came in the opposite direction towards her, said police.

“She said the vehicle was partly in her lane, so she steered to her right to avoid a collision. [Mauro] stated that her tires must have hit the soft dirt off of the roadway and this pulled her car into the hillside, where it struck a tree,” the police report states.

Mauro had a burn on her left arm, probably from the airbag, police said. She was treated and released by McCandless-Franklin Park EMS.

The Volkswagen had heavy front damage and was towed by John B. Lombardo's Complete Collision Inc., police said.

Tractor-Trailer, Mail Truck Collide

A tractor-trailer and mail truck collided about 10 a.m. May 26 at the intersection of Route 19/Perry Highway and Rolling Green Drive in Pine Township, police said.

Douglas Lewis, 42, of Dover, NJ, said he was coming out of Rolling Green Drive and had to make a wide right turn onto Route 19, the police report states. He was driving a 1999 Peterbuilt 378 owned by Eagle Truck Services of Parsippany, NJ, said police.

“As he was making his wide right turn [due to the tractor trailer being 53 feet] he was looking at southbound traffic to ensure he could make the turn safely. As he was in his turn, [the mail truck] came up the left turn lane; he did not see it and struck it,” the police report states.

Roseanne Lee, 53, of Finleyville was driving the 2004 International truck owned by the U.S. Postal Service, police said.

Minor damage was noted on the tractor-trailer and none was seen on the mail truck, police said.

Mini Cooper Clipped by Truck Pulling Trailer

A 2011 Mini Cooper had to be towed May 26 after it was clipped by a truck going through the intersection of Pearce Mill Road and Route 910/Wexford Road in Pine Township, police said.

Heidi Millar, 27, of Wexford was traveling north on Pearce Mill Road, just south of the intersection with Route 910/Wexford Road, when she saw a large truck pulling a trailer approaching, police said.

“[Millar] intended on making a left onto Wexford Road,” the police report states.

She said she had begun to make the turn and stopped when she saw the truck, according to the report.

“The left front corner of [the truck] struck the left front corner of [the Mini Cooper] disabling the vehicle,” the report states.

The truck continued southbound on Pearce Mill Road and could not be located, police said.

Millar refused EMS, but said her husband would take her to the hospital to be evaluated, police said. Millar’s vehicle was towed by John B. Lombardo's Complete Collision Inc.

Chevrolet Impala Towed After Route 19 Collision

A 2001 Chevrolet Impala had to be towed May 23 after a collision at the intersection of Route 19/Perry Highway and Brown Road in Pine Township, police said.

Joseph Manchas, 60, of Freedom was driving a 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer north on Route 19/Perry Highway around 3 p.m. when he attempted to turn left into Pine Center, the police report states.

The back of the TrailBlazer was struck by a Chevrolet Impala driven by Jordan Wall, 19, which was traveling south, police said.

Manchas indicated he felt he had enough time to make the turn, the police report states. Wall said the TrailBlazer turned in front of him and he had no time to react, according to police.

The Chevrolet Impala was towed by John B. Lombardo's Complete Collision Inc.

17-Year-Old Crashes Into Tree

A 2002 Saab driven by a 17-year-old crashed into a tree about 7:45 a.m. on May 18 near the intersection of Babcock Boulevard and Logan Road in Pine Township, police said.

The driver, a Harmony resident, told police “he lost control negotiating a left curve in the roadway. [He] also stated that he may have been traveling too fast for the rainy weather conditions,” according to the police report.

No injuries were reported, but the vehicle suffered major damage to the front end and driver’s side, police said.

It was towed by John B. Lombardo's Complete Collision Inc.

Driver Falls Asleep, Runs Off Road and Hits Tree

A Springdale woman was heading east on Route 910 in Pine Township about 8 a.m. May 17 when she fell asleep at the wheel after working a 14-hour shift and failed to negotiate a curve, according to a police report.

Andrea Brooks, 52, was driving in the area between North Chapel Drive and Hill Road when she ran off the road and hit a large tree stump, PennDOT sign and dead tree, police said.

Brooks’ 1998 Chevrolet Malibu was towed by John B. Lombardo's Complete Collision Inc.

Vehicles Collide at Route 19 - Brooktree Road Intersection

A 2009 Pontiac G6 driven by a Wellsboro, PA, woman pulled onto Route 19/Perry Highway around noon on May 11 and collided with another vehicle, police said.

Jacqueline Strahota, 23, said she thought she had enough time to pull out from Brooktree Road in Pine Township, according to the police report.

Strahota’s vehicle collided with a 1997 Nissan Maxima drive by a 16-year-old Pittsburgh resident, police said.

Wallace Road – English Road Intersection Is Scene of Accident

Two vehicles collided about 11 a.m. May 9 on the bend where Wallace Road and English Road intersect in Pine Township, police said.

Edward Massucci, 72, of Pittsburgh told police he had stopped at the stop sign on English Road and thought he had enough clearance to proceed, according to the police report. He had started to pull out when he saw another vehicle coming and stopped, but was hit, police said.

Adam Ray, 37, of Wexford said he was traveling east on Wallace Road when the other vehicle pulled out in front of him and he was unable to stop in time, the police report said. His 2000 Honda Civic hit Massucci’s 2007 Subaru Forester on the driver’s door, the report said.

No injuries were reported, but Ray’s 2000 Honda Civic was towed by Boff’s Towing, police said.

Vehicles Collide on Perry Highway

Two vehicles collided May 5 on Route 19/Perry Highway near Bonnieview Drive in Pine Township, police said.

Sheryl Brown, 61, of Pittsburgh told police she had turned onto Perry Highway at Bonnieview Drive and was heading south in the left lane when the collision occurred, according to a police report.

“She believed that [a 2007 Jeep Cherokee] must have crossed into her lane and struck her vehicle,” the report states.

Misty Wise, 36, of Bradford Woods told police she was driving the 2007 Jeep Cherokee southbound when she saw the other vehicle enter Perry Highway and move into the left lane, according to the report.

She told police she was passing Brown’s vehicle when it suddenly entered into the right lane and struck her vehicle, according to the report.

The reporting officer observed debris in the right southbound lane but was not able to locate skid marks or other indications of an impact point and could not determine which vehicle was the primary cause of the collision, the police report said.

New Toyota Highlander Collides with Lexus in Village at Pine

A 2011 Toyota Highlander was involved in a two-vehicle accident in the Village at Pine on April 27 soon after the driver purchased it from North Hills Toyota, according to a report from Northern Regional Police Department.

Qun Bing Chen, 38, of Cranberry started to make a left turn from Village Plaza and collided with a 2009 Lexus SND driven by Amy Nicole Puntureri, 40, of Wexford, police said.

Puntureri was traveling north on Village Run Drive approaching the intersection with Wallace Road when Chen pulled out and struck the left rear of her car, the police report states.

Chen did not speak English so the officer spoke to a translator on the scene, who confirmed that Chen made a left onto Village Run Drive and did not see the other vehicle, police said.

Vehicles Turning onto Wallace Road Collide

Two vehicles collided April 23 at the intersection of Route 19/Perry Highway and Wallace Road, according to police.

William Schmittel, 69, of Pittsburgh was traveling north on Route 19 in a 1976 Ford Econoline when he made a right onto Wallace Road without stopping for the red light, police said.

At the same time, Juliet Dezi, 79, of Glenshaw was making a left turn onto Wallace Road from Route 19 south on a green light, said police.

A witness said Schmittel did not stop for the red light and ran into the side of Dezi’s 2007 Chevrolet Aveo, which had to be towed, according to the police report.

Perry Highway - Brooktree Drive Intersection Collision

Christopher Pastor, 31, of Pittsburgh was turning left from Route 19/Perry Highway onto Brooktree Drive on April 19 when his 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe was struck by another vehicle, police said.

Edward Pfeifer, 39, of Mars was traveling south on Perry Highway when he struck Pastor’s vehicle as it made a left turn in front of him, police said. Pastor said he was waved through the intersection by a vehicle in the southbound lane, said police.

Pfeifer’s 2000 Infiniti Q45 was towed; Pastor’s vehicle was driven to a nearby repair shop.