Stowe Twp. produce store owner, 86, dies after being thrown from truck

STOWE TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A well-known produce store owner from Stowe Township died Wednesday, one week after being thrown from a truck he was on when a car crashed into it.

Channel 11’s Renee Kaminski reported that Tony Perri, who owned Perri Produce, was loading his truck with fruits and vegetables in front of his Broadway Street store last week when a woman crashed into his truck just before noon.

"When officers got the scene they found out the gentleman who owns the business was on the back of the truck loading produce when a car collided with the truck. Mr. Perri was then ejected from the back of the truck and fell onto the sidewalk," Stowe Township Police Chief Matthew Preininger said.

“I heard a loud boom and when I came running out I saw the Pontiac backing out,” witness Chester Thrower said. “I ran up the street to kind of get in the way in case she wanted to hit-and-run.”

Police said charges are pending against the driver who is accused of driving under the influence.

“We were told by her that an animal or a cat came out in front of the car and she made a movement to avoid hitting the animal,” Preininger said.

Residents who live and work near the store told Kaminski that Perri Produce has been around for almost 100 years.

“It’s just terrible to have something like this happen,” a neighboring business owner said.

“He is just a very nice man. I hate for that to happen to him,” customer Cynthia Harris said. “He’s always friendly. He’s given my son fruit a couple of times. He was just a very nice man."

WPXI