Pedestrian struck and killed near Squirrel Hill Tunnel
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — One person was killed in a crash along the Parkway East on Sunday night, a Pennsylvania state police spokesperson said.
It happened around 10 p.m. in the outbound lanes of the highway near the Squirrel Hill Tunnel. Police said the person was walking on the highway.
"Drivers are not expecting that to occur. It is very unsafe to walk anywhere along the interstate or highway," state police trooper Rocco Gagliardi said Monday.
Video from traffic cameras shows first responders arriving at the scene on Sunday night. The incident closed the highway for a period of time before traffic was able to move again. Troopers don't have a reason for why the person was walking on the highway. That still has to be determined in the investigation.
"There are signs at every entranceway of highways across the commonwealth that they are for motor vehicle only. You are not technically allowed to walk on the interstate," Gagliardi said.
PennDOT told KDKA-TV that the victim was not somebody with its team. The driver of the vehicle was allegedly cooperative with troopers. The state police collision and reconstruction team is leading this investigation.
"This is not the first time we've had issues with pedestrians," Gagliardi said.
For people's safety, troopers say if you have a situation where you are stuck on the highway, stay on the shoulder and keep your distance from traffic.
"We get that sometimes you may have broken down. Stay on the side and call us for support," Gagliardi said.
At this point, it is not clear if anyone will face any charges. The identity of the victim has not been released.