Allegheny County, PA — August 21, 2025, a local man was killed following an 18-wheeler accident at around 3:25 p.m. on 5th Avenue.

According to initial details about the accident, it took place by the Mobil station at the intersection of 5th Avenue and Main Street.

Details are limited right now. Investigators said that a man was walking at the time and began to cross the intersection. Meanwhile, an 18-wheeler was waiting at a red light. When the light changed to green, reports say the 18-wheeler proceeded through the intersection, killing the pedestrian.

Right now, no charges or citations have been reported. Authorities continue to investigate the accident.

Commentary

It's obviously an important detail that authorities believe the truck involved here had a green light when the accident occurred. However, a green light isn't the end-all-be-all of an accident. In a situation like this, investigators need to answer why the truck driver didn't see the pedestrian and whether or not that was reasonable.

Simply put, professional truck drivers have a basic legal duty to be aware of their surroundings. If, for example, a light turns green, but someone is still crossing the crosswalk, drivers don't suddenly have free rein to run those people over. They have to wait until it's safe to proceed.

So, if a reasonably prudent professional driver would have been able to see and avoid hitting the victim in this accident, it would raise serious questions about what this driver did differently that led to a fatal outcome. If details instead show there were circumstances beyond the driver's control that made it unlikely they would have been able to see and avoid the victim, it wouldn't be reasonable to blame them for something they couldn't avoid.

It's still early in the investigations, so my hope is that authorities are taking steps to secure vital evidence as soon as possible. Engine control module data, video from nearby cameras, witness statements, cellphone records, driver logs, laser mapping of the scene, etc. It's important every stone is turned so that the victim's family at least knows they're getting the full story, one way or the other.