Second I-79 crash of the day claims life of New York State man

A New York State man is dead following a multi-vehicle crash Wednesday morning on Interstate 79 in Washington County.

Coroner S. Timothy Warco identified the man Thursday as Gary M. Reinhardt, 58, of Lancaster, a village east of Buffalo. His cause and manner of death were pending an autopsy.

The crash was reported to Washington County 911 around 9:50 a.m.

According to Warco, Reinhardt was the operator and only occupant of a vehicle traveling south on I-79. Another vehicle traveling in the northbound lane lost control, crossed the median and hit Reinhardt’s vehicle, causing a chain reaction involving four vehicles.

Southbound I-79 was closed between the Canonsburg and Houston/Eighty-Four exits because of the crash. A single lane restriction was in place on northbound I-79 between Houston/Eighty-Four and Canonsburg.

PennDOT announced shortly after 2 p.m. that the highway had reopened in both directions.

Reinhardt was wearing a seatbelt, Warco said. He was pronounced dead about two hours after the crash was reported.

State police were investigating.

The crash was the second on I-79 Wednesday.

Northbound traffic on a section of Interstate 79 in Allegheny County was restricted to a single lane Wednesday morning following a truck rollover.

That crash, just north of the Mt. Nebo Road exit, occurred just before 6 a.m., according to a county 911 dispatch supervisor. There was no indication anyone had been injured.