1 man killed, 1 injured in head-on crash

Staff report

Slippery rock, Pa.

A 19-year-old Portersville, Pa., man was killed in a head-on crash on U.S. Route 422, and a New Castle man is in critical condition.

A Pennsylvania State Police in New Castle report said Zachary Jordan Cheeseman was traveling east on Route 422 at a high rate of speed about 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, operating his car “in an erratic” manner.

David J. Thompson Jr., 49, of New Castle, was traveling west on Route 422 and Cheeseman swerved into his path, striking Thompson’s vehicle head-on, state police reported. Cheeseman was thrown from the vehicle. He was flown to University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Presbyterian Hospital, where he died.

Thompson was trapped in the vehicle for about an hour before being cut free by Slippery Rock volunteer firefighters. Thompson also was flown to UPMC Presbyterian where he was in critical condition Wednesday.

Route 422 was closed for several hours after the crash.