Forest County Double Fatal Accident Remains a Mystery

| July 5, 2018

HOWE TWP., Pa. (EYT) – Authorities in Forest County continue to investigate the cause of a horrific double-fatal crash that occurred Monday on Route 66 in Howe Township.

According to a report released by Marienville-based State Police on July 3, the victims were identified as 40-year-old Nicklas Terry Desmond and 51-year-old Lawrence David Lineberger, both of Ridgway.

The crash occurred around 2:30 p.m. on Monday, July 2, on Route 66, approximately 1 mile south of the Elk County border.

Emergency dispatchers were called to the scene after a passerby called 9-1-1 to report the accident.

The two men were traveling north on Route 66 in a 1997 Chevrolet Blazer when the vehicle’s driver lost control, causing it to roll over an undetermined number of times on the roadway.

The vehicle came to a final rest along the east side of the roadway on its driver’s side.

Both Desmond and Lineberger were ejected from the vehicle.

Forest County Coroner Norman J. Wimer said Desmond died immediately at the scene and Lineberger succumbed to his injuries in an ambulance while en-route to the hospital.

Desmond’s cause of death was ruled as blunt force trauma to the head.

Wimer said Lineberger’s suffered blunt force trauma to the trunk and other internal injuries.

The cause of the crash remains a mystery.

“This part of Route 66 is a long stretch, has a good asphalt berm, and there are no indications of the cause,” said Wimer. “The vehicle rolled over several times.”

Wimer also noted that it is still undetermined who was driving the vehicle.

“It remains undetermined who for certain was operating the vehicle or what caused the operator to lose control,” said Wimer. “The accident was unwitnessed.”

Toxicology testing has been ordered by Wimer to help determine the cause of the accident.

The joint investigation is being conducted by Wimer and Marienville-based State Police.


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