18-year-old Murrysville man killed in Derry Township crash
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A Murrysville man was killed early Saturday after hitting a deer in Derry Township, according to the Westmoreland County coroner.
Damian W. Bearley, 18, was driving an Infiniti Q50 south on Route 982 at 3 a.m. when investigators said he hit a deer, crossed the opposite lane and slammed into a tree and utility pole.
Bearley was pronounced dead at the scene as a result of blunt force trauma to the head. State police said a 16-year-old girl who was a passenger was hurt.
Alfieri Funeral Home in Wilmerding is handling arrangements.
Drivers in Pennsylvania hit a deer 4,332 times in 2020, about 4.2% of total crashes in the state, according to PennDOT statistics. Sixteen of those crashes were fatal.
In 2019, there were 4,346 crashes involving a deer on Pennsylvania roads, making up about 3.5% of crashes for the year, statistics show. Seven people died.