A 78-year-old Homer City woman died Friday afternoon when her car left Indian Springs Road (U.S. Route 422) in White Township and slammed into a tree, according to state police. Emergency crews arrived in the mid-afternoon and found the driver dead at the scene, and investigators say the crash is still under review.
Pennsylvania State Police say troopers were called to Indian Springs Road at 3:28 p.m. and found a 2017 Ford Fusion that had been traveling east before it drifted off the roadway and hit a tree head-on. The driver was identified as Barbara M. Waltemire, 78, of Homer City. She died at the scene, according to WPXI. Investigators have not released a cause for the crash.
PennDOT Had Planned Safety Work Nearby
The fatal wreck comes as transportation officials were already eyeing safety upgrades in the same stretch of road. PennDOT's District 10 newsroom lists planned safety improvements at the intersection of Indian Springs Road (Route 422) and Rustic Lodge Road in White Township. Utility relocation work was scheduled in 2024, and construction is expected to wrap up by fall 2026, according to PennDOT.
PennDOT's 2024 Crash Facts & Statistics report shows the state recorded 110,765 reportable crashes and 1,127 fatalities last year, a snapshot that keeps rural highway safety firmly on the radar. The report is available from PennDOT. Local officials say the road work near the intersection has been in planning for some time, but it is not yet clear whether road conditions played any role in Friday's crash.
State Police Investigating
State police have not said what caused the car to veer off the highway, and the investigation remains active, according to WPXI. Officials have not released further details, and the station has described the wreck as a developing story. We will update this article as authorities release more information.
