LAFAYETTE, PA — Alan Wetzel was identified as the man that was killed in a tractor-trailer accident that was reported in Lafayette, Pennsylvania on Thursday, November 13th, 2014. The news article released by Go Erie said that the accident happened around 7:00 Thursday morning.
58-year-old Alan Wetzel was killed when the Jeep Liberty he was driving and a tractor-trailer hauling water for Minard Run Oil Co at the intersection of Route 59 and Forest Road 305. Authorities think that the Jeep struck the tractor-trailer after crossing from the eastbound lanes into the westbound lanes.
Wetzel was killed in the crash. The driver of the tractor-trailer was identified as 55-year-old Robert Rolick, who was taken to Bradford Regional Medical Center for treatment of the injuries he sustained in the accident.
The Pennsylvania State Police are helping with the accident investigation at this time.
Scene of the Accident
Commentary:
Now, the reports in the news said that the victim’s SUV crossed over into the lanes of oncoming traffic when it struck the truck, but should we take this at face value and skip an investigation? Absolutely not. Truth be told, I’ve seen more than one truck driver fudge the details about an accident to keep his job when they’re the sole survivor and sole witness. I’m not saying that is the case here, but I’m underlining the fact that things need to be investigated before we incorrectly blame a victim for this accident. It is a very real possibility that tire marks left on the road paint a completely different picture than what police believe. Again, I’m not calling anybody a liar, but with any kind of accident where a job is in jeopardy, it is only healthy to be skeptical of any claim that benefits the driver with the job to lose.
— Grossman Law Offices
