One person was killed and eight others taken to hospital after a pickup truck struck multiple vehicles in Havertown, Pennsylvania, before becoming airborne and overturning into a U-Haul, police said.
The crash happened shortly after midday on Saturday, 3 October, at the junction of West Chester Pike and Eagle Road in Haverford Township. Police said 14 vehicles were involved in the collision, which stretched for almost two miles along West Chester Pike.
Video recorded near Havertown Café shows the pickup crossing a Smoothie King car park, launching into the air and crashing into several vehicles before hitting the U-Haul and landing upside down.
Havertown crash followed reports of erratic driving
The driver, identified by police as 57-year-old John Ryan of Havertown, died at the scene. Investigators said he appeared to have suffered a medical emergency, while other motorists reported that the pickup had been driven erratically before the collision.
Police said Ryan’s driving licence had previously been revoked for medical reasons. The eight people taken to hospital were not believed to have life-threatening injuries, and no pedestrians were hurt.
The crash occurred while the area was busy with Haverford Township Day, an annual community event being held nearby. The road was closed for several hours as emergency crews and investigators worked at the scene.
West Chester Pike reopened at about 4pm on Saturday. Police said their investigation could develop further if additional motorists come forward to report that their vehicles were struck before the main collision.
