Neighbors ask for traffic light at site of fatal Butler County crash

BUTLER COUNTY, Pa. — A 28-year-old woman was killed and her 2-year-old son was seriously injured in a two-vehicle crash in Butler County Wednesday afternoon.

Authorities said the car and tractor-trailer collision was reported near the intersection of routes 268 and 68 in Fairview Township about 1:30 p.m.

Emergency crews said the 2-year-old boy wasn’t breathing when they arrived at the scene. He was taken to UPMC Children’s Hospital, where he remained Thursday. His condition has not been released.

The passenger of the car, Gerri Best, of Rimersburg, was killed in the crash. The driver, 21-year-old Brian Altman Jr., suffered minor injuries.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation, but investigators said the driver of the tractor-trailer failed to completely stop at an intersection and hit Altman’s car. He has not been charged.

Those who live near the intersection said it's very dangerous, and they’d like to see a traffic signal added.

“I’ve almost been hit there a few times. A traffic light there would be great,” Jake Long said.

“As a matter of fact, just last week me and my three boys were coming through there and I said to the boys, ‘This sure is a bad intersection,’” neighbor Jeff Sweeney said. “As soon as I said that, we had just passed the hill. Sure enough, a truck pulled out right in front of us.”

WPXI