MERCER COUNTY, Pa. — A routine morning delivery turned fatal on Thursday when a multi-vehicle crash involving three tractor-trailers during a sudden whiteout on Interstate 79 claimed the life of a young Erie man, highlighting the lethal dangers of early-season winter weather.
The victim has been identified by the Mercer County Coroner’s Office as Austin Golab, 22. The crash occurred around 11:45 a.m. on I-79 southbound in Jackson Township, near mile marker 122, as a fast-moving snow squall swept across the region.
According to Pennsylvania State Police, the collision happened amid rapidly deteriorating conditions. Troopers reported “whiteout conditions” and snow-covered roads at the time. Golab was pronounced dead at the scene from blunt force trauma to the head and chest. His death was ruled accidental. A second individual was transported to a local hospital with undisclosed injuries.
“The weather changed in an instant,” said PSP Trooper First Class Nathan Bortz, a public information officer. “One minute it’s clear, the next you have zero visibility and slick pavement. These squalls are incredibly dangerous, and this tragic incident underscores that.”
The severity of the crash forced the closure of I-79 for approximately four hours, causing major traffic disruptions as emergency crews worked at the scene. The National Weather Service in Pittsburgh had issued a warning for the hazardous conditions, later stating on social media, “It only takes a little snow to create dangerous conditions on the interstate.”
Back in Erie, Golab’s family and friends are grappling with the loss of a young man described as a dedicated, hardworking professional who took pride in his career.
“He was just starting out, so proud to have his CDL and to be working,” said a close family friend, who asked not to be named. “Austin was that guy who would drop everything to help you. He had a quiet strength and a good heart. This is just devastating.”
The tragedy has resonated deeply within the tight-knit trucking community, where drivers understand the risks of the road all too well. A fundraiser has been established to support Golab’s family with funeral expenses.
“Every time one of our own falls, it hits us hard,” said Marty Resnick, the owner of the small hauling company Golab worked for. “He was a good kid, a responsible driver. We’re all thinking about his family and reminding everyone out there to please, please slow down and pull over if you can’t see.”
The investigation into the precise sequence of the crash is ongoing. As the first major fatal weather-related accident of the season in western Pennsylvania, Austin Golab’s death serves as a grim, early reminder of winter’s deadly potential.