Salem Township, PA (March 6, 2025) – A collision involving a school van, a tractor-trailer, and an SUV claimed the life of 60-year-old Renee Davis, a dedicated school transportation driver, on Thursday morning. The accident occurred at 7:15 a.m. near the intersection of Route 22 and Route 819, resulting in a traffic shutdown in both directions for three hours.
Incident Overview: According to Pennsylvania State Police, the accident happened when the tractor-trailer ran a red light, colliding with the school van driven by Davis. Davis, who had no students on board at the time of the crash, suffered fatal injuries. Emergency responders pronounced her dead at the scene. The driver of the tractor-trailer was not injured in the crash. A 17-year-old high school student who was driving the SUV involved in the collision was evaluated at UPMC Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh. The student is expected to recover.
Investigation and Legal Considerations: The crash is under investigation by state police. Early findings suggest that the cause of the accident was the tractor-trailer driver failing to stop at a red light.
Pending the outcome of the investigation, the truck driver could face civil liability and potential criminal charges for failure to obey traffic signals and reckless driving. The Davis family could file a wrongful death lawsuit to recover funeral costs, lost wages, and compensation for emotional suffering. The injured student and their family may be able to pursue a personal injury claim for medical expenses and emotional trauma.
My sympathies go out to the Davis family, friends, and colleagues, and I wish the injured student a full recovery.
Source: WPXI