4-year-old girl killed in I-77 crash near Strasburg
This story was updated on June 27th, 2024 at 5:43 pm
FRANKLIN TWP. (WJER) (June 27, 2024) – State troopers have been trying to determine the cause for Wednesday’s crash on I-77 south of Strasburg that claimed the life of a 4-year-old girl.
The girl was a passenger in a car driven by her father, 38-year-old Josue De Leon Rivera of Dover, that lost control, went off the left side of the road, and overturned around 5:47 pm. New Philadelphia Highway Patrol Post Commander Lt. Johnnie Maier says it appears the car was going an unsafe speed in the heavy rain and hydroplaned, but they are still looking into what led to that….(such as the tire tread, traffic conditions, and other factors).
“We would investigate several factors to include the tread on the vehicles. We’re looking into that. We’re looking into the traffic condition, standing water on the road, just several different things.”
Maier says the girl was in the back seat unbuckled and not in a safety seat. she was thrown from the vehicle. he called it a preventable tragedy.
“The life of this 4-year-old girl was very, very important. [She] had a lot of life left, and simply a car seat, safety belt could have impacted and changed the entire outcome of this crash.”
The girl’s 7-year-old brother was also not wearing a seat belt. He and Rivera went to a canton hospital for injuries described as minor.
The county prosecutor will consider charges for the crash.