Manpreet Singh Killed in Truck Accident on I-80 in Clarion Township, PA
Clarion Township, PA — December 24, 2022, 21-year-old Manpreet Singh died when his tractor-trailer collided with another big rig in Clarion Township.
Authorities say the incident happened around 6:50 a.m. along Interstate 80 West near mile marker 64. Preliminary investigation suggests Singh's Kenworth 18-wheeler was jackknifed and disabled for unknown reasons in the right travel lane of the highway. A Freightliner truck driven by 39-year-old Idris Jones approached but was unable to stop before hitting the driver's side of the Kenworth.
Singh, allegedly not wearing a seat belt, was ejected from the Kenworth and suffered fatal injuries. No other injuries were reported.
The investigation is ongoing. No further information is currently available.
It seems to me after reading the news coverage of this crash that they picked up the narrative partway through rather than starting at the beginning. They describe what happened when the victim's truck was already jackknifed in the road, yet don't have much to say about how it got there. As with any accident, though, knowing its whole context could make a lot of difference.
For example, how and why did the victim's truck jackknife and become disabled? Photos at the scene show the roads were icy and the noted crash time was before sunrise; were darkness and hazardous conditions factors? If so, what exactly made the driver lose control in those conditions? Is there any evidence in the Kenworth, like dashcam footage or ECM data, that could give a clearer picture?
Looking past the initial disabling accident, there are still questions about the fatal collision that followed. Reports said the approaching driver saw the disabled rig in his path but was "unable to stop;" why? Were road and light conditions behind that too, or is there more to the story? Was the striking driver awake, alert, and focused on the road? Were his rig's lights on? How fast was he traveling?
None of these questions are meant to point fingers or suggest I know more than police have said so far. Indeed, I'm asking so many because preliminary findings often lack important details--and as frustrating as I find that, I can't begin to imagine how the victim's family must feel. Perhaps time and patience will allow authorities to deliver a better understanding of their loss, but whatever the eventual explanation is I hope it can bring them some peace.
