Taha Chomelawala, a 21-year-old volunteer EMT with the Berwyn Fire Company and a senior at the University of Pittsburgh, has died after being involved in a scooter crash in Pittsburgh, dying after two days in critical care. The Tredyffrin Township native was preparing to begin his final year at Pitt's David C. Frederick Honors College when the crash occurred, according to a fundraiser started to help his family.
According to Daily Voice, Chomelawala was involved in a scooter crash before dying after two days in critical care, with no further details available about the circumstances of the crash. Emergency dispatch logs reviewed by the Citizen app indicate a 911 call came in at 3:05 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 23, for a vehicle-versus-scooter collision at the intersection of South 10th Street and East Carson Street in Pittsburgh's South Side, a commercial corridor in the city. Local law enforcement has not released findings regarding fault, speed, or the vehicle involved, and it remains unclear whether those details will be made public.
A Life Split Between the ER and the Lab
Chomelawala, a 2023 Conestoga High School graduate, joined the Berwyn Fire Company as a volunteer in 2022 and remained an active member while attending college, according to the fundraiser. He became a registered EMT with the Pennsylvania Department of Health and, per the fire company, held additional training certifications. The Berwyn Fire Company said Taha took great pride in volunteering, and he took part in the department's move into its new Bridge Avenue fire station in 2025.
The Berwyn Fire Company, founded in 1894, serves roughly 30,338 residents across 14 square miles of Tredyffrin and Easttown Townships in Chester County, fielding more than 2,150 EMS calls and 800 fire calls a year with a mix of volunteers and career staff. Its new $10.5 million, 20,000-square-foot station at 23 Bridge Avenue was dedicated in September 2025, replacing a facility the company had used for 95 years.
At Pitt, Chomelawala worked as a medical researcher and teaching assistant while pursuing a dream of becoming a neurosurgeon, per the fundraiser. He also served as Business Manager for FORGE, a campus organization that provides English tutoring and community support to local refugees. In high school, he built, drove, and designed for Team 6121E, known as The Pioneers, in the Conestoga Robotics program alongside his twin brother, Moiz.
Remembered as Bubbly and Boundlessly Energetic
Fundraiser organizers Arun Iyer and Evan Lu said Chomelawala died surrounded by loved ones, and described him as having a deep love for his family, friends, and twin brother Moiz. He was remembered, per the fundraiser, as a bubbly, compassionate, and boundlessly energetic person. Madeline Kuzdzal, a GoFundMe donor, wrote that Taha was an incredibly smart, kind, and hardworking individual.
As of Monday, the GoFundMe fundraiser had raised more than $36,000 toward a $90,000 goal from nearly 500 donors. The fund was established to help Chomelawala's family with medical bills, funeral expenses, and ongoing needs, and organizers wrote that it exists so that the family can grieve without carrying the burden alone. A public memorial service is scheduled for Sept. 6 at Conestoga High School, 200 Irish Road in Berwyn.
Pennsylvania's Murky E-Scooter Rules
The circumstances of the crash arrive amid unresolved questions about the legal status of electric scooters on Pennsylvania roadways. Under Pennsylvania's Title 75 Vehicle Code, e-scooters are classified as motor-driven cycles subject to titling, registration, insurance, and inspection requirements, and because most commercial models lack equipment like turn signals and mirrors, operating them on public roads or sidewalks is generally illegal statewide, as detailed by the Upper Allen Police Department. Statewide efforts to formally legalize low-speed e-scooters have stalled, with bills such as Senate Bill 1008, known as Abby's Law, still pending in committee after temporary municipal pilot programs expired, according to Benedum Law.
The Pittsburgh crash follows other fatal micro-mobility incidents that have stirred safety concerns across the state. In July, a scooter rider was killed in Northeast Philadelphia after being struck by a car at Aramingo Avenue and Margaret Street, a crash Hoodline reported involved a scooter that had entered the intersection before impact. It is unclear whether Chomelawala's crash will factor into the broader legislative debate, but it adds to a growing list of cases raising questions about scooter safety on Pennsylvania streets.
