Franklin County, PA — April 28, 2025, Allen Pensinger and Alberta Pensinger were killed in a truck accident at about 9:50 a.m. on Olde Scotland Road.

Authorities said a 1999 Mercury was rear-ended by a 2012 Ford while driving south near Pineville Road, forcing it into the path of a 2024 Volvo semi-truck. The truck swerved off the road, but was unable to avoid a head-on collision with the smaller vehicle.

Mercury driver Allen Pensinger, 82, and wife Alberta Pensinger, 82, were pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, according to authorities.

The Ford driver reportedly suffered a possible injury, but he turned down medical treatment, authorities said. The truck driver was not injured.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the Franklin County crash at this time. The accident is still being investigated.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When a rear-end collision sends a smaller vehicle into the path of an oncoming semi-truck, the legal analysis must begin with whether the crash would have happened at all if the trailing driver had been operating safely. In this crash, where two people lost their lives, the initial reports suggest the real cause of the collision traces back to the Ford driver who struck the Mercury from behind.

Under the law, drivers are expected to maintain a safe following distance and be prepared to stop if traffic ahead slows or stops unexpectedly. Failing to do so, and rear-ending another vehicle, is almost always considered a clear-cut case of negligence. Here, the force of that rear-end impact pushed the Mercury into the path of an oncoming semi-truck, leading to a secondary collision that was far more severe than the initial one.

The truck driver reportedly attempted to avoid the collision by swerving off the road, but that effort wasn’t enough to prevent a head-on crash. In situations like this, truck drivers have very little time and space to react, especially when a vehicle suddenly appears directly in their lane. Because of the size, weight and momentum of a fully loaded semi, evasive maneuvers often have limited effectiveness, particularly at highway speeds or on narrower rural roads.

Investigators will likely review the Ford’s speed and following distance leading up to the crash. Skid marks, impact points and vehicle damage will help confirm whether the driver of the Ford was inattentive, speeding or simply too close to react safely when traffic conditions changed.

The semi-truck’s engine control module may also provide useful information about the truck’s speed, braking and steering at the time of the crash. However, from the available facts, it seems unlikely that the truck driver’s actions were a primary cause. It appears he was placed in a difficult situation by the chain reaction that began with the Ford’s initial failure to maintain control.

This crash is a stark reminder that rear-end collisions can be far more dangerous than people tend to assume. It’s not just about bumper damage. It’s about the momentum that can propel a struck vehicle into oncoming lanes, creating catastrophic consequences that no defensive driving by others can undo.

In the end, two lives were lost not because of some extraordinary, unavoidable hazard, but because a basic rule of safe driving — keeping a safe distance — was not followed. The investigation must focus on that initial mistake, because that’s where the chain of events began. And understanding that failure is the only way to ensure accountability and, hopefully, prevent similar tragedies in the future.