Names Released of Victims in Two Fatal Hancock County Accidents – WTRF seven News Sports Weather – Wheeling Steubenville
Officials have released more information in regards to two fatal accidents that took place in Hancock County on Tuesday.
At approximately 6:30 a.m., deputies responded to a single vehicle accident on State Route eight near Tomlinson Run State Park.
The driver, Karrie Bender, 26, of Fresh Manchester, was reportedly on her way home from work.
Evidence at the scene suggests she likely fell asleep at the wheel, causing her car to veer off the roadway and strike a tree. Bender did not sustain the injuries sustained in the crash, and was pronounce later in the scene.
Later Tuesday afternoon, officials responded to an accident along Route Two.
At approximately 12:01 p.m., police received reports of a crash involving a petite sports car and a tanker truck along Route two inbetween Newell and Chester.
While the driver of the tanker was not injured, both the driver and the passenger of the car had to be extracted by firefighters.
The passenger, David McGraw, 22, of Chester, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver, 19-year-old Nathan Keller of Newell was flown from Clarke Field in Newell to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital in Pittsburgh, where he died due to injures sustained in the crash several hours later.
Evidence at the scene and witness statements indicate that Keller was attempting to pass another northbound vehicle, but lost control when attempting to come back to his lane. This caused the vehicle to swerve into the southbound lane where it was struck by the tanker truck.
Route two remained closed for almost six hours while deputies investigated the crash and crews cleared the heavily-damaged vehicles from the scene.
The crash remains under investigation by the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office.
Officials in Hancock County responded to two fatal accidents this Fourth of July.
According to Sheriff Ralph Fletcher, early Tuesday morning one person was killed in a single vehicle accident on State Route 8.
Later, Tuesday afternoon, one person was killed on Route two inbetween Newell and Chester.
The accident along Route two involved a car and a tanker truck. Officials have confirmed that one victim was taken by medical helicopter to an area hospital.
The sheriff’s office is not releasing further details until both victims families are notified.
Stay with 7News as details become available for both cases.