PORT MATILDA – The Philipsburg-based state police have identified the two men who were flown for medical treatment after the vehicle in which they were traveling impacted a tractor-trailer at 2:35 p.m. Monday along U.S. Route 322, the Port Matilda Highway, in Rush Township.
Passengers Skyler J. Plumb, 19, of Madera and Richard A. Demko Jr., 18, of Houtzdale were both flown to the Altoona Trauma Center. However, Plumb was later flown to a Pittsburgh-based hospital for medical treatment.
In addition, two others – operator Christopher S. Waite, 19, of Osceola Mills and passenger Timothy L. Hannah, 18, of Houtzdale – were transported by ambulance to the Mount Nittany Medical Center. Both were treated and released.
According to the accident report, a 2007 Ford Escape being driven by Waite was traveling westbound on U.S. Route 322 in the area of the Moshannon Valley Super Bowl. A tractor-trailer driven by Harry Hildenbrand, 52, of Ruffsdale was in the designated lane of the truck pull off area.
Hildenbrand was preparing to pull out into traffic to proceed westbound down the hill. At this point, he observed the Waite vehicle in his rearview mirror and waited for it to pass before pulling out.
Then, for unknown reasons, the Waite vehicle swerved in a rightward direction and struck the corner of the trailer. Upon impact the Waite vehicle rotated clockwise for approximately 25 feet and came to a rest in the center of the roadway, facing north.
The Waite vehicle sustained severe damage, state police said. The Hildenbrand tractor-trailer had moderate damage.
Hildenbrand wasn’t injured in the accident.
