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Icy road conditions lead to accidents across W. Pa., 2 deaths

PITTSBURGH — Two people died and many other accidents were reported as a result of freezing rain that coated western Pennsylvania with a sheet of ice Saturday morning.

In Aleppo Township, a woman was struck and killed by a car that slid out of control on an icy road.

Kimberly Moran, 49, of Sewickley, was walking her two Bernese Mountain dogs when she was hit near Lakewood and Rockledge drives.

"She was a lovely person. She was just as lovely and gracious of a person as anybody could meet," said Meg Forsyth, Moran's friend. "Lovely, loved animals, loved her dogs, and this is just a tragic loss."

Channel 11's Jennifer Borrasso reported that one of Moran's dogs, named Monte, was pinned under the car. The other dog, Illini, ran off, but was found late Sunday afternoon.

Jeannie Barrett, owner of Larry's Laundromat where Moran worked for four years, said the dogs were rescued by Moran and her husband around Thanksgiving.

Moran was one of two pedestrians who died during Saturday morning's freezing rain.

An Apollo man was killed when he was run over by his own vehicle in icy conditions on First Street.

The Armstrong County coroner said Gary Beigay, 68, tried to prevent his van from sliding when he slipped and fell under the vehicle.

Many other accidents were reported throughout western Pennsylvania, including one in Shaler in which a salt truck rolled into a house.

"The whole house vibrated. You thought there was some kind of an explosion," said Jim Friend. "There was a really loud boom that happened and, you know, we were getting dressed anyhow so we ran down and I thought maybe a tree had hit, but when we ran out we saw it was a salt truck from the township."

No injuries were reported.

Borrasso reported that in Allegheny County, fire and emergency crews responded to nearly 2,000 calls Saturday.

RELATED STORY: Freezing rain causes dangerous driving conditions throughout Pittsburgh

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