A 40-year-old woman died early Monday morning after her disabled vehicle was struck and ignited on the eastbound lanes of Interstate 376 (the Parkway East), near mile marker 73 between the Oakland exit and the Squirrel Hill Tunnel. The fatal collision occurred around 5:30 a.m. when a pickup truck rear-ended the stopped sedan.
According to the Pennsylvania State Police, the sedan—a Infiniti sedan—had become disabled in the middle of the roadway. Its driver turned on hazard lights and remained inside the car while she waited for a tow truck. While on a call with the towing company, the crash happened: a Ford F‑150 traveling eastbound changed lanes and struck the disabled vehicle from behind. The force of the impact sparked a fire that rapidly engulfed the sedan.
Witnesses and troopers reported the pickup had “completely transitioned from one lane to another,” which may have prevented the driver from seeing the disabled sedan in time. Two Pittsburgh police detectives, who happened to be driving past at the time, along with the pickup’s driver, attempted to rescue the woman from the burning car—but the flames grew too fast and they were unable to reach her.
The victim was identified as Keturah Griffin of Monroeville, aged 40. She was pronounced dead at the scene. The pickup driver sustained only minor injuries and was treated on-site. The eastbound lanes remained closed for several hours and reopened around 10 a.m. as emergency crews cleared the wreckage.
Investigators say the crash remains under active review. They are examining vehicle data, reconstructing the scene, and interviewing witnesses to determine whether factors such as speed, impaired visibility, or lane-change maneuvering played a role. Trooper Rocco Gagliardi noted that visibility appears to have been a factor and that if speed is found to have contributed, a citation could be issued.
This tragedy underscores the severe danger of disabled vehicles on high-speed roadways—especially in low-light hours. Even when hazard lights are activated and the driver remains inside, a stopped vehicle can become virtually invisible to fast-approaching traffic, and sudden lane changes by others can trigger catastrophic secondary collisions.
As the community keeps Ms. Griffin’s family in their thoughts, the crash serves as a stark reminder of how quickly a routine breakdown can turn deadly and how vital it is for both disabled-vehicle drivers and passing motorists to take heightened care on busy highways.
