NORTH HUNTINGDON TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Ron Mastromonaco says his seven-year-old German shepherd, Asia, was more than a therapy dog. She was family.
“It hurts how it happened,” he said.
Video from Wednesday, Sept. 23, shows Asia running into Farm Spur Road as a Waste Management garbage truck approaches.
The truck strikes her and continues down the road.
“I know he knew he hit something,” Mastromonaco said of the driver. “He should’ve at least stopped, got out and checked.”
Mastromonaco said he has suffered three strokes over the years and that Asia stayed by his side during all of them.
He recalled one time when he collapsed after getting out of the shower and found her standing beside him.
Now, he and his family are raising a concern they say they’ve had for more than a decade: drivers going too fast on Farm Spur Road.
The video does not establish how fast the garbage truck was traveling.
“We’re always yelling, ‘Slow down.’ It’s ridiculous,” Mastromonaco said. He worries about his grandchildren and other children who visit the area.
Mastromonaco said he has tried to contact Waste Management but has been unable to reach anyone.
He also said North Huntingdon police told him there was little they could do because Asia was not on a leash and the truck did not appear to be traveling at least 10 mph over the speed limit.
He plans to contact township leaders about lowering the speed limit and adding speed bumps.
“Something has to be done before a child is hit, I’m hit on my scooter,” he said.
Channel 11 requested comment from Waste Management, North Huntingdon police and township leaders but had not heard back as of Monday evening.
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