Snowplow strikes man in parking lot

By Christopher DeRose

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    HEMPFIELD TOWNSHIP, Pennsylvania (KDKA) — A snowplow struck a person in the parking lot of a Westmoreland County medical facility on Monday morning.

The incident happened around 7:45 a.m. Monday. Paul Tucci, 74, was leaving the Independence Health Orthopedic office along Pellis Road in Hempfield Township after an early appointment when he was struck by a snowplow clearing the parking lot around the office complex.

“The operator of the vehicle was driving a typical, what you would see in Southwestern Pennsylvania, a pickup truck that was outfitted with a salt spreader and a plow,” said Stephen Limani of the Pennsylvania State Police. “There were a couple of witnesses that were there that we interviewed. It didn’t appear that he was doing any reckless driving in the parking lot or any crazy negligent acts, but it’s a little early in our investigation.”

State police say the truck is owned by Westmoreland Landscapes LLC, and the driver cooperated fully with investigators. The driver was unaware he had struck Tucci with the back of the plow at the time of the incident.

Tucci was transported in serious condition to a local hospital and then air-lifted to Pittsburgh, where he is expected to recover.

“As drivers in parking lots and as pedestrians in parking lots, we just really need to be cognizant of what’s happening around us,” Limani cautioned. “We are early on into our season, so maybe we can just be vigilant, so we don’t have any other accidents like this take place.”

KDKA-TV contacted Westmoreland Landscapes LLC for comment but did not hear back.

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