PLUM, Pennsylvania — A Wednesday afternoon drive turned into a frightening scene when a vehicle flew off Old Leechburg Road, went over an embankment, and plunged into a creek below.
Multiple first responder units rushed to the intersection of Old Leechburg Road and New Texas Road around 4:30 p.m. Crews had to use extraction equipment to pull the driver — an unidentified male — from the silver sedan. He was alone in the car.
A neighbor saw it happen in real time
Antonio Marapese lives right along the road where the crash occurred. He was outside when he noticed something was wrong.
“It kinda stuck out, and I noticed he didn’t hit his brakes and just went down right into the creek,” Marapese said.
He ran toward the scene immediately.
“I tried to get down here as fast as I could,” he said. “Luckily, there were several cars behind him, and they were already out of their cars by the time I got here.”
Firefighters arrived in seconds
The local fire department is less than a mile from the crash site, and the response showed it.
“Their response time was immaculate,” Marapese said. “They were here within probably 30 seconds.”
A Facebook post led the son straight to his father
Marapese took photos and videos and posted them in a local Facebook community group — hoping someone might recognize the driver.
It worked.
“His son ended up pulling in,” Marapese said. “He walked down. It was his father. He knew that he was alert, and he was OK.”
By the time the driver was transported to a nearby hospital, Marapese said the fear had given way to something else entirely.
“A miracle, a blessing,” he said.
Did you see what happened on Old Leechburg Road Wednesday afternoon? Share what you know in the comments below.
