Local Man Killed After Car Rear-Ends Dump Truck on I-80

UNION TWP., Pa. (EYT) — A local man was killed on Wednesday afternoon after his car rear-ended a dump truck near a construction zone on Interstate 80 in Union Township, Jefferson County.

DuBois-based State Police said the accident happened around 4:22 p.m. when 24-year-old Corey D. O’Donnell, of Brookville, was traveling on Interstate 80 East near mile marker 74 and approaching traffic that was slowing down for construction.

According to police, O’Donnell’s 2013 Dodge Dart was traveling at approximately 70 MPH when it rear-ended a 2019 Western Star W4700SB dump truck, operated by 23-year-old Dakota E. Olsen, of Titusville.

Olsen’s truck was traveling at approximately 5 MPH.

Jefferson County Coroner Brenda Shumaker pronounced O’Donnell dead at the scene at 5:17 p.m.

“My understanding is the traffic had slowed greatly on Interstate 80 for construction ahead,” said Shumaker.

“Traffic was starting to move again, and the dump truck was barely moving, and Mr. O’Donnell hit the back of it at a high rate of speed.”

Shumaker said the manner of death was an accident and the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head and chest.

Police said O’Donnell was not wearing a seat belt.

Olsen was wearing a seat belt and was not injured.

Interstate 80 East was closed between Exit 70 (US 322 — STRATTANVILLE) and Exit 78 (PA 36 — SIGEL/BROOKVILLE) for several hours while police investigated the accident.