MCCANDLESS TOWNSHIP, Pa. — One person died and three others were taken to hospitals after a collision between a Port Authority bus and a passenger vehicle in McCandless Township, Port Authority officials said.
The crash happened around 5:30 p.m. Wednesday near the intersection of Peebles Road and Duncan Avenue.
Port Authority officials said the driver of the passenger vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene. Three other people who were on the bus, including the driver, were taken to local hospitals.
The medical examiner identified the victim as Anthony Ranalli, 33, of Gibsonia. An autopsy was scheduled for Thursday.
A woman and child were the only passengers on the bus. The Port Authority said both were taken by ambulance to UPMC Children's Hospital. The woman was then taken to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital.
The bus driver was taken to UPMC Passavant Hospital with a head injury. None of their injuries are considered life-threatening.
Port Authority police said Ranalli crossed into the bus’s path and the bus swerved to avoid him, but they hit head-on.
Off-duty volunteer firefighter Ed Banks witnessed the collision.
“I was waiting to pull out, watching traffic (and) heard the impact. I looked up, saw the vehicle (coming) toward me (and) bus the other way. It was all over in a couple seconds.”
Banks said his instincts kicked in moments later and he rushed to the aid of the driver of the passenger vehicle.
“I was able to get in to the car and try to do an assessment on the patient in the car,” he said. “(I was) just trying to help the guy out.”
A witness told Channel 11 News that she had been driving behind Ranalli since McKnight Road and said he had been driving erratically. Ross Township police confirmed they had been alerted about an erratic driver on McKnight Road, but they were not able to confirm if the car involved in the crash is the same one from the reports.
An accident reconstruction team was called to the scene to assist with the Port Authority police’s investigation.
Peebles Road remained closed from Duncan Avenue to Remington Drive for most of Wednesday evening, but reopened shortly after 11 p.m.