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Friends, Neighbors In Grief After Couple Dies In Crash

SAINT CLAIR — 87-year-old John Yanchulis and his wife, 82-year-old Jean Yanchulis, died after a horrific crash at an intersection in Saint Clair. Police s...
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SAINT CLAIR -- 87-year-old John Yanchulis and his wife, 82-year-old Jean Yanchulis, died after a horrific crash at an intersection in Saint Clair.

Police say Jean had been turning left off of busy Rt. 61 and onto East Russell Street when a  Jeep Liberty slammed into the passenger side of Yanchulis`s car, where John was sitting.

Vicki Hesse came upon the crash moments after it happened and tried to comfort the elderly couple while waiting for help to arrive.

“I saw the state that they were in and I knew that it was bad and I just kept saying, 'Hold on, hold on. Everything`s going to be OK. You know help`s on the way,'” said Hesse.

John died at the scene. Jean died a short time later at the hospital.

The couple lived an apartment complex in Frackville, leaving their friends and neighbors in shock.

“It`s heartbreaking because they were good friends of mine and he worked with my husband, he was a pipefitter. It`s sad, very, very sad,” said neighbor Alice Sapp.

“They`re going to be greatly missed. They were a beautiful couple, beautiful couple. She was always so worried about who was going to take him if anything happened to her first,” said neighbor Kelly O’Brien.

But if there`s any consolation to this sudden loss, friends note the Yanchulis's, who were married for more than 60 years, were taken together.

“God works in mysterious ways. They both went together,” said Sapp.

“He took them both together,” said O’Brien.  “I just pray that they`re at peace.”

Police say the driver of the Jeep Liberty is from Philadelphia. She was taken to the hospital with moderate injuries.

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