Latrobe motorcyclist killed in head-on crash in Washington Township

Chuck Biedka
Wednesday, July 22, 2015 8:57 a.m. | Wednesday, July 22, 2015 8:57 a.m.

Eric Felack | Tribune-Review

Washington Township Police and Westmoreland County investigators work at the scene of a fatal accident on Route 366 on Wednesday, July 22, 2015. A Latrobe motorcyclist died in the accident. An 18-year-old New Kensington man who was driving a truck has been charged in the death.

Details

Other area accidents

State police are investigating four accidents on Route 28 Wednesday morning.

Two people were taken to hospitals in separate southbound accidents just before 9 a.m. in Frazer.

In one, a woman was injured when her vehicle traveled off the roadway for an unknown reason. The woman was taken to Allegheny Valley Hospital, Harrison, by ambulance.

Police believe the second wreck a few minutes later, about a quarter of a mile away, may have been caused by people looking at the first accident cleanup. The second wreck involved a man on a motorcycle and a pickup. The unnamed motorcycle rider was taken by ambulance to Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh.

Two other accidents were reported on Route 28 North near Exit 14 in Harrison about 8:20 a.m. It's unclear whether anyone was injured in those accidents.

— Chuck Biedka

Email Newsletters

A Latrobe man died early Wednesday in a head-on motorcycle-pickup collision along Route 366 in Washington Township.

The Westmoreland County Coroner's office said Charles Beatty Sloan Jr, 41, died from the impact.

Washington Township police said the other driver, Dylan Rockwell, no age given, of New Kensington, was driving east on Route 366 near Washington Road about 7:50 a.m. For some unknown reason, his Chevy pickup veered into the opposite lane and struck Sloan's motorcycle head-on, Sgt. Vincent D. Surace said.

Both the Silverado pickup and motorcycle traveled off the road and over an embankment.

Deputy Coroner Sean R. Hribal said Sloan died at the scene. An autopsy is scheduled.

Police said Rockwell was treated and released from Forbes Hospital, Monroeville.

Township police and a state police accident reconstruction team are investigating.

Route 366, also known as Greensburg Road, is a major artery that takes commuters to Route 66 and Greensburg.

A 911 dispatcher supervisor said the road was blocked until almost noon.

Hribal said Wednesday'sfatality is the second in less than a day involving a motorcycle on roads in the county.

On Tuesday, a 39-year-old North Huntington Township motorcyclist died while trying to pass a sport utility vehicle on Arona Road. Officials said that man lost control of the motorcycle.

Chuck Biedka is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 724-226-4711 or cbiedka@tribweb.com.