A young man from Pittsburgh was killed in a massive chain-reaction collision on a major Pennsylvania interstate after a sudden burst of winter weather created “a solid sheet of ice” on the roadway.
The fatal crash occurred on Interstate 79 in Jackson Township, Butler County, on the morning of Friday, February 6, 2026. The pileup unfolded on a stretch of highway between the Evans City and Zelienople exits, where conditions deteriorated rapidly for drivers.
According to the Pennsylvania State Police, the collision involved at least 18 vehicles, though other reports from the scene indicated as many as 25 cars and trucks were part of the incident. The scale of the crash forced authorities to shut down Interstate 79 in both directions for several hours, closing the highway from Cranberry (Exit 78) to Zelienople (Exit 88).
The victim of the crash was identified as 18-year-old Evan Gingo, a resident of Pittsburgh. He was pronounced dead at the scene. In addition to the fatality, the crash resulted in injuries to nine other individuals. Emergency response was extensive, involving multiple agencies including Pennsylvania State Police, local fire departments, and medical services. Crews worked for hours to provide aid, document the scene, and clear the wreckage from the icy road.
Witnesses at the scene described a terrifying sequence of events. One driver, Cassandra Summerill, recounted hitting a patch of ice as she came over a hill. “It was just dominoes. It’s one after another,” she said, describing the sound of “boom after boom after boom” as vehicles collided. The pileup included a jackknifed tractor-trailer and was so severe that rescue teams had to use the “jaws of life” to extract one driver from their vehicle.
The crash remains under investigation by the Pennsylvania State Police Butler barracks. While the official cause is still being determined, authorities confirmed that hazardous winter weather and icy road conditions were significant contributing factors to the dangerous driving environment that morning. Officials had issued winter travel advisories and reduced speed limits in the area prior to the incident.
Evan Gingo is remembered by family and friends as a kind, energetic, and compassionate young man with a bright spirit. He was a student at Slippery Rock University. His passing has prompted an outpouring of grief from his community in Pittsburgh and beyond, as they mourn the loss of a life filled with promise that ended far too soon.