UNION COUNTY, Pa. -- A pile-up along Interstate 80 in Union County killed at least two people. Evangelical Community Hospital near Lewisburg took in 37 patients, while Geisinger Medical Center near Danville treated nine patients. This was all after more than 20 cars collided during a snow squall Wednesday afternoon.
State police identified the victims as Edward Posavec, 53, of Hatfield, Pa. and Marek Szczepanczyk, 58, of Sterling Heights, Michigan.
Trooper said the crash happened as about 60 vehicles were traveling west on I-80 in the area of mile marker 204. A snow squall caused limited visibility and hazardous road conditions. A chain-reaction crash occurred during which both victims died from injuries. More than 30 people were injured in the crash.
Meir Levy was driving one of those cars. He survived with just a small scrap on his eye.
“It's a miracle. I mean if you see my car it's a total loss. Nothing left from it,” Levy said.
Levy was on his way from White Plains, New York to the University of Michigan to pick up his daughter for Christmas break. But he came across whiteout conditions near exit 203 while traveling on Interstate 80 westbound.
“I was in the end of all the crashes. Actually, I had time to stop. I stopped before the truck in front of me, but the truck behind me didn't stop and he smashed my car,” Levy said.
Levy's maroon GMC SUV was sandwiched between two tractor-trailers. He was able to climb out of his car and saw several other people trapped.
“A woman asked me to help, and I looked inside and I thought, we cannot do anything. They need firefighters to come and cut the door to take him out,” Levy said.
Levy was one of those 37 people taken to Evangelical Community Hospital. He was released shortly after. He along with many others involved in the I-80 pileup are staying the night at the Best Western at Country Cupboard Inn near Lewisburg Wednesday night. But he is determined to make it to Michigan eventually.
“I will find a way to get there tomorrow. I will rent a car or find something. I'll get there, we'll drive hopefully it'll be safe,” Levy said.