Local

UPDATE: Driver in recorded Uniontown crash fell asleep

FAYETTE COUNTY, Pa. — Channel 11 News has learned the driver who caused a three-vehicle crash Monday morning in Uniontown fell asleep behind the wheel.

Kaecieo Bass and his co-worker, Kevin Denney, were coming back from a delivery for their rental company when Bass started getting suspicious and began recording what appears to be an erratic driver on Route 21.

“I don’t know if she’s drunk or what’s going on,” Bass said in the video. “They need to get their mind right. I hope nothing happens to them.”

The video continues on for several minutes, showing the driver in front of them swerving into opposing lanes of traffic.

“I hope they’re not falling asleep,” Bass said. “Please put a hand of protection on that car father God.”

Moments later, Bass says to Denney, “Slow down. I don’t wanna be involved in an accident.”

As the driver ahead of Bass and Denney goes to make a turn, she is T-boned by an oncoming car, which then crashes into Bass and Denney's truck.

“Out of nowhere, she just cut off the car and the car riccoched off of us. It was a head-in collision, man. I am really blessed be here right now,” said Bass, who was recording from the passenger seat.

Just seconds after impact, Bass got out of the van and tried to help the two drivers.

The cellphone video continues to roll after the crash as the drivers involved get out of the vehicle. It appears that no one was seriously hurt. The female driver was taken to a Uniontown Hospital as a precaution.

On Wednesday, troopers told Channel 11’s Cara Sapida that the driver had just worked a midnight shift and fell asleep behind the wheel.

“She was actually coming home from working the midnight shift and was extremely tired. The two gentlemen behind her saw she was driving erratically,” said Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Stephanie Lucas.

Troopers said it could have been worse, although driving while sleepy is extremely dangerous.

“It’s very uncommon. A lot of times, the way a person drives when tired is very similar to how they would drive under the influence,” Lucas said.

According to troopers, the driver will be charged with minor traffic violations.

Some people are questioning why Bass decided to tape the crash instead of calling police.

“I was trying to get her license plate because we were going to call 911 right then and there, but we couldn’t get close enough to see,” Bass said.