{"id":107492,"date":"2026-02-07T00:45:09","date_gmt":"2026-02-07T00:45:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/107492\/"},"modified":"2026-02-07T00:45:09","modified_gmt":"2026-02-07T00:45:09","slug":"woman-describes-moments-before-25-vehicle-crash-on-interstate-79-that-killed-1-and-injured-9","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/107492\/","title":{"rendered":"Woman describes moments before 25-vehicle crash on Interstate 79 that killed 1 and injured 9"},"content":{"rendered":"

An 18-year-old young man from Pittsburgh was killed and nine others were injured after a massive pileup on Interstate 79<\/a> in Jackson Township, Butler County, on Friday morning.\u00a0<\/p>\n

At least 25 vehicles were involved in the crash and 20 others got stuck on the interstate, authorities said. Evan Gingo, a Slippery Rock University student, died in the crash, which closed Interstate 79 for hours in both directions<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"snapshot-2026-02-06t160118-309.jpg<\/p>\n

One person was killed after a 25-vehicle pileup on Interstate 79 in Butler County on Feb. 6, 2026.\u00a0<\/p>\n

(Photo Credit: KDKA)<\/p>\n

Cassandra Summerill, of Harmony, narrowly escaped the mile-long incident<\/a> on the northbound side of the interstate.\u00a0<\/p>\n

“It was just dominoes. It’s one after another,” Summerill told KDKA.<\/p>\n

The roads were fine on her way home to Harmony from Cranberry on Friday morning. However, that all changed when she went around a bend and reached the top of a hill.<\/p>\n

“As soon as I hit my brakes, they locked up. It was a solid sheet of ice,” Summerill said.<\/p>\n

She slid down as about 10 cars went sideways and crashed in front of her. She said she came to a stop and avoided the wreckage.\u00a0<\/p>\n

“All you could just hear was boom after boom after boom of all the cars,” Summerill said.<\/p>\n

In the mix of the crash was a tractor-trailer that jackknifed across the whole road.<\/p>\n

“At the very last second before he hit us, he was able to veer off into the middle grassy median,” Summerill said.<\/p>\n

\"i79pileup.png<\/p>\n

One person was killed after a 25-vehicle pileup on Interstate 79 in Butler County on Feb. 6, 2026.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Wendy Graff<\/p>\n

Within a few minutes of the near-miss, Summerill made a quick decision, with her brother and 1-year-old in the small car with her.<\/p>\n

“We have to get out of here, like we’re going to get killed,” Summerill said.<\/p>\n

With car parts all over the road and vehicles completely turned around, she found a gap to get off Interstate 79. Summerill was lucky, just like Wendy Graff, who was with her husband\u00a0near the back of the crash<\/a>.<\/p>\n

“The cars are pinned to end to each other. They can’t open their doors. They had to use the jaws of life to get a gentleman out,” Graff said.<\/p>\n

Stuck on Interstate 79 for about three hours, Graff watched first responders tend to each vehicle involved, as she processed the horrifying ordeal.<\/p>\n

“It was definitely the scariest I’ve ever been,” Graff said. “I just kept telling my husband thank you for being such a wonderful driver.”<\/p>\n

Still shaken up, both families are grateful to be alive, knowing others had it much worse.<\/p>\n

“I don’t know how or why we were one of the only ones to make it out,” Summerill said. “I feel very sorry for all the other people that were involved.”<\/p>\n

The incident remains under investigation.<\/p>\n

\n More from CBS News\n <\/p>\n

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