An 11-year-old boy has died and two others were injured when a vehicle crashed into their disabled car on the outbound Parkway East/Interstate 376, shutting down the highway for nearly four hours Thursday morning.
The crash occurred around 5:45 a.m. just beyond the Squirrel Hill Tunnel, closing the Parkway eastbound between the Squirrel Hill and Edgewood exits, according to Pennsylvania State Police.
“There were two vehicles, with three people in the first vehicle and one in the other vehicle,” state police Trooper Melinda Bondarenka said. “The boy was in critical condition but ended up passing.”
State police said the 11-year-old boy was in the disabled vehicle with another passenger — a 17-year-old boy — and the driver. The boys were taken to UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, where the 11-year-old later died of his injuries. The 17-year-old suffered minor injuries. The driver of the vehicle — identified as Dawn Childs, 47, of Pittsburgh — was taken to UPMC Mercy with minor injuries, state police said.
The Allegheny County Medical Examiner identified the boy who died as Jaiden Childs of Pittsburgh.
The driver and sole occupant of the other vehicle — identified as Matthew Hecht, 19, of Finleyville — was not hurt, authorities said.
According to state police, the crash occurred after Ms. Childs’ vehicle malfunctioned and was stopped in the left lane on the Parkway. Mr. Hecht then struck the back of the disabled car as he was trying to change lanes.
Kelly Morrissey, 49, of Pittsburgh’s North Side, said he was on his way to Murrysville when he noticed the car stopped on the roadway. The back of the black sedan was “completely smashed in,” he said.
“It was a dangerous scene, but for me, I was always taught to look for my safety and the safety of others. I pulled over and made an effort to stop traffic before officials arrived. One woman had a laceration to her forehead, and there was a child stuck inside the car.
“My biggest concern was safety with oncoming traffic and being able to assist in whatever way I could.”
Mr. Morrissey, who is an active member of the Allegheny County sheriff’s reserve and a deputy constable of Ward 22 on the North Side, said he and others who stopped tried unsuccessfully to pry the door open to get the 11-year-old out. First responders arrived within 20 minutes of his calling 911, he said.
“I called 911 twice, first at 5:39 a.m. and then again at 5:45 a.m., and let them know there was a child in the car stuck and that we had no success in getting the door open,” Mr. Morrissey said. “The kid appeared lifeless, but I was hoping he would make it. I was so sad to hear the child passed.”
The crash remains under investigation.