CLEARFIELD – Winter weather caused a number of accidents along interstates yesterday. One accident claimed the life of an Illinois man.
According to the state police in Clearfield one accident occurred when several vehicles were stopped due to another accident on Interstate 80, eastbound near mile marker 116. Several commercial vehicles ran into each other, blocking the road, at which time a passenger vehicle ran into one of the commercial vehicles.
Police said one person suffered serious injury to his leg and was transported to DuBois for treatment. Steven K. Samuelson of Orangeville, IL was operating the passenger vehicle and died as a result of the accident. This accident shut down I-80 from roughly 9:30 a.m. to around 7 or 8 p.m.
Another accident occurred at mile marker 118 eastbound on I-80 at 9 a.m. Police said that two commercial vehicles jack-knifed in both lanes of travel, which caused trailing vehicles to strike them. As a result 14 commercial trucks and three passenger vehicles were involved in simultaneous accidents.
State police said that the driver of one commercial vehicle is listed in critical condition in Clearfield Hospital and the remaining drivers and passengers suffered injuries ranging from mild to moderate.
Police were assisted at the scenes by PennDOT, Clearfield Fire Department, Moshannon Valley Fire Department, Clearfield Emergency Management Agency, Rees Towing, Eagle Towing, Bricen Towing, Lawrence Township Fire Department, Sandy Township Fire Department and several EMS personnel from the DuBois and Clearfield area.
