Family of South Greensburg man hit by snowplow files wrongful death lawsuit

The wife of a South Greensburg man who was hit by snowplow in January has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the landscape company hired to clear the parking lot were the crash occurred.

Paul Tucci, 73, suffered fatal injuries as he walked to his vehicle Jan. 5 after an early morning doctor’s visit and was hit by a pickup outfitted with a front plow and salt spreader as it cleared snow, according to the lawsuit.

A police report said Tucci was hospitalized with severe injuries and died in early March.

According to the lawsuit, Tucci’s estate contends Westmoreland Landscapes LLC of Latrobe, which was hired to clear snow in front of the Independence Orthopedics office on Pellis Road in Hempfield, was negligent for improperly training its driver. It also claims the equipment did not meet government safety standards.

The Tucci estate is seeking financial damages for each of the three counts alleged against the plow operator and landscape company.

The lawsuit claims plow driver Ian Malis of Derry arrived too late to properly clear the snow before patients arrived for their appointments, and while operating the plow, he backed up his vehicle and hit Tucci while traveling about 30 mph. Tucci was pushed backward under the plow for several dozen yards, the lawsuit claims.

Court records indicated that no criminal charges have been filed against Malis or the landscape company.

Malis could not be reached for comment. Requests for comment from Westmoreland Landscapes went unanswered Tuesday.

Tucci’s estate said he suffered blunt force injuries in the crash.

“Paul Tucci’s condition was so grave that he likely would have died but for his orthopedic physician … who traveled with him by ambulance and manually maintained an open airway for him to breathe,” according to the lawsuit.

Tucci died in a Pittsburgh hospital March 2, the lawsuit states.