but this time it is local.
A Greensburg businessman and his cousin were killed in a one-vehicle crash Sunday afternoon shortly after the two men left a party for the businessman’s 2-year-old daughter at his Hempfield Township home.
Westmoreland County Deputy Coroner Gerald Fritz identified the driver as Brian A. Svetz, 33, of Rembrandt Circle, and his passenger as Robert E. Burmeister, 35, of Mt. Manor Road, Manor. Svetz was the owner of Svetz Orthotics and Prosthetics in Greensburg.
Svetz and Burmeister decided to take Svetz’s 2006 Porsche 911 Turbo for a drive around 3:20 p.m. and left the party unbeknownst to others at his home, Fritz said.
State police at Greensburg said last night the men were traveling south on Arona Road at a high rate of speed when the car went off the west berm of the road and hit several trees a half-mile from Svetz’s home.
Adamsburg Fire Chief Don Thoma said the car traveled as much as 75 feet through trees before it rolled over.
“It looks like it may have become airborne. It knocked some trees down and rolled over.”
Police said Svetz was wearing a seat belt, but it was unknown if Burmeister was restrained.
Svetz was trapped in the vehicle, and Burmeister was ejected, Fritz said. He was found lying about 20 feet from the car. Fritz said both men appeared to be dead when emergency personnel arrived.
“Our paramedics were here first and one of our officers. There were some nurses trying to help, but they left by the time we got here. It’s a mess,” Thoma said. “We had the helicopters and everything ready, but there was nothing we could do.”
Fritz pronounced Burmeister dead at 4:50 p.m. and Svetz a minute later.
Both victims died of multiple trauma, the coroner said. Toxicology tests will be performed on the victims, but no autopsy is planned.
Thoma said the damage to the car was so severe, it was difficult to determine the make.
Numerous state police cars were on the scene, along with firefighters from Adamsburg and Strawpump volunteer fire companies and ambulances from Adamsburg and Irwin.
Arona Road was blocked off for about a mile. Traffic had to be rerouted for several hours.
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribunereview/news/westmoreland/s_482601.html
pretty sad that this had to happen, but even more so on his daughters birthday.