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Plum HS Senior Killed In Lower Burrell Crash

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May 14, 2009 1:55 am US/Eastern

Plum HS Senior Killed In Lower Burrell Crash

LOWER BURRELL (KDKA) ― A local teenager is dead and at least three others injured following an accident involving a pick-up truck Wednesday night in Westmoreland County.

The accident happened just after 9:30 p.m. on Wildlife Lodge Road near Garver's Ferry Road in Lower Burrell.

The victim has been identified as 18-year-old Michael McGuire Jr. He was a senior at Plum High School.

"He was due to graduate," said Dawn Check, the Plum School District spokesperson. "He was in ski club, snow club. His nickname was Bubba. He had a lot of friend. He was well-liked."

Check says the entire school community is in shock after hearing about the loss.

"We all kind of woke up, very early this morning to this news and we have guidance counselors on hand, available to talk with any student," she said. "It's a very difficult process, you go through a lot of grief and sad times, but again, you try to work with the students and help them to learn to make safe choices."

Investigators say there was a total of six people in the cab and bed of the truck at the time of the accident.

McGuire was the only student from Plum in the truck at the time of the accident. Officials say the other teens were from the Upper and Lower Burrell area.

The teens riding in the bed of the truck have been identified as Shane Quigley, 19, of Lower Burrell and Alex Lewis, 19, of Upper Burrell. The passengers in the cab of the truck have been identified as Jason Weng, 18, of Lower Burrell and Elese Allen, 18, of Lower Burell.

All of them were injured.

According to police, McGuire was killed after being thrown from the bed of the truck. Two other young men traveling in the back survived the accident, but were seriously injured.

Skid marks at the scene show how the truck crossed the lanes and began to turn and then flipped over.

The driver, 19-year-old Chris Matisko, of Upper Burrell, was taken to a local hospital and was listed in good condition.

Stay with KDKA for the latest details.


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