2 injured in Allegheny Township head-on collision

Two people were injured when their car was struck Friday afternoon by a pickup head-on along a windy road in Allegheny Township, officials said.

According to the initial investigation, a man and his wife were traveling in a silver four-door car along Markle Road near the Markle Fire Hall when a man driving a truck came around the bend and veered out of his lane and into oncoming traffic, striking the car, Markle Volunteer Fire Company Chief Jim Rearick said.

Rearick and fellow firefighters were prepping for their last weekly fish fry of the Lenten season when the crash happened about 4:30 p.m. amid wet, slick roadways and a steady drizzle.

“It happened not even a quarter of a mile away, an eighth of a mile away from the station on the bend,” Rearick said. “We were able to get out the door pretty quick.”

The couple in the car was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment after reporting back and chest pain, which may be related to the impact of their seat belts or air bags deploying, Rearick said.

The fire chief urged all drivers to slow down in rainy conditions, particularly on back roads and amid the influx of truck traffic related to local Marcellus shale natural gas projects.

“It’s bad enough in the rainy conditions, let alone with all the truck traffic that we have, so we urge people to slow down,” Rearick said. “Especially on these country roads, they’re not made for speed.”

Officials cleared the scene and tow trucks hauled away both front-damaged vehicles shortly after 5 p.m.

The crash is under investigation.