Coroner IDs 2 men killed in head-on crash in Allegheny Township; second driver seriously injured

Two men riding in the same car died and the other driver was seriously injured in a head-on collision Saturday morning in Allegheny Township.

The men who were killed were Alan Louis Karadeema, 41, of Vine Street in Harrison’s Natrona neighborhood, and Stephen John Dasta, 53, of Taylor Avenue, New Kensington, according to Westmoreland County Coroner Tim Carson. A deputy coroner pronounced both dead at the scene of blunt force injuries.

Karadeema was driving one of the vehicles, a Lexus RX300, east on Melwood Road, according to Carson. Dasta was his passenger.

Carson indicated speed appears to have been a factor in the crash; it had yet to be determined whether drugs or cellphone use were involved.

The Lexus crossed the center line and struck a westbound Chevrolet Equinox, Carson said.

Allegheny Township police Chief Duane Fisher said Saturday night that a woman, who he did not identify, was its driver and was traveling alone.

She was airlifted to Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh and was expected to survive.

Fisher said the crash was reported about 9:30 a.m. The crash site was near 1380 Melwood Road, which is west of Markle Road.

Fisher said the crash happened when one driver lost control, overcorrected and went into the oncoming lane.

Although Melwood Road has hills and curves, the road is straight where the collision occurred, the chief said.

Fisher said Allegheny Township rescue crews arrived three minutes after the initial emergency call. He said one victim, later identified by the coroner as Karadeema, had been thrown from his car and was found dead. Dasta died at the scene, authorities said.

Fisher said neither deceased man was wearing a seat belt.

“This stresses the importance of wearing a seat belt,” Fisher said.

Police said rescue crews from Markle, Allegheny Township and West Leechburg responded. Some were on the scene for more than three hours.

Melwood Road was shut down for hours, reopening just before 1 p.m.

Fisher said he was conducting a “Click It or Ticket” safety campaign Saturday when he was called to the crash scene.

Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story included incorrect information that stated the deceased victims were in different vehicles.