NEW BUFFALO - Two young men from Clinton County were killed in a horrific crash early Thursday morning on a foggy and heavily-traveled Routes 11-15 in Watts Township, Perry County, about 25 miles above of Harrisburg.
John Franklin Murray, 20, of Loganton, and James Anthony Bechdel, 20, of Beech Creek, were pronounced dead at the scene of the crash in the area of the New Buffalo Restaurant just before 6:30 a.m.
The two young men were both 2010 graduates of Central Mountain High School.
Article Photos
PHOTO PROVIDED BY WHTM-TV, HARRISBURG
This photo shows the wreckage of the pick-up truck that collided with a tractor trailer on Routes 11-15 near Harrisburg in heavy fog early Thursday morning, killing two 20-year-old Clinton County men.
They were employed by Lewis Tree Service Inc.
Reportedly, the men were on their way to a job site when their pickup truck and a tractor trailer truck collided head-on.
Murray was the driver of the 2007 Ford Ranger owned by Lewis Tree Service, according to state police at Newport.
Police reported "the pickup was southbound in the area of New Buffalo Restaurant when the driver veered the truck from the southbound lane of travel and crossed over the middle turn lane and into the northbound lane of travel, striking the northbound tractor trailer truck head-on."
The section of highway where the crash occurred was under heavy fog Thursday morning as it is located adjacent to the Susquehanna River. There are no barriers between the north and southbound lanes there.
Police had not yet determined why the pickup truck went into oncoming traffic.
The investigation is ongoing.
Motorists told WHTM TV 27 that fog along that stretch of road - which is heavily traveled and is just below Liverpool and north of Duncannon - was so heavy it was dangerous.
Police identified the driver of the tractor trailer truck as John Ohagan, 55, of Sarinia, Ontario, Canada. Police said he was not injured.
