By Stacey Federoff
Tribune-Review
COLLINSBURG, Pa. — The death of a young man who wanted to dedicate his life to community service in a violent crash early Wednesday was a shock, said Collinsburg Assistant Fire Chief Matt Jones.
Brian Weigle, 19, a volunteer firefighter for the department, was working toward a career in emergency service, Jones said.
Weigle, a resident of West Newton, died when his 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt collided head-on with a tractor-trailer on Route 51 in Fayette County at 6:45 a.m., state police said.
Weigle was traveling south at a high rate of speed near Brewer Road in Franklin Township when his car crossed the double-yellow line, police said.
The car struck the northbound tractor-trailer head-on in the left lane and traveled 88 feet before breaking free, according to a police report. The car spun around before coming to rest in the right lane, while the truck continued to travel north before stopping 94 feet from the car in the left lane.
Weigle, who was not wearing a seat belt, was pronounced dead at the scene at 8:05 a.m., according to the Fayette County coroner’s office.
The truck driver, Joseph Malcomb, 29, of West Salem, Ohio, was wearing a seat belt and was not injured, police said.
Weigle, a 2011 graduate of Belle Vernon Area High School, had been a firefighter since he was 14, Jones said.
“You don’t find many kids who have that kind of work ethic these days. It’s a pretty big blow,” he said. “It’s a tough day all around.”
Weigle’s father, Jere; his brother, Corey; and mother, Karen, are all members of the fire department, Jones said. Karen Weigle recently returned to school to become an emergency medical technician and now works at Rostraver West Newton Emergency Medical Services, he said.
“If anybody has a family that has found their calling through community service, it’s definitely the Weigle family,” Jones said.
Weigle was scheduled for a shift yesterday morning at the J.C. Penney store at Uniontown Mall, where he worked in the maintenance department, according to a supervisor.
He was enrolled at Westmoreland County Community College for the fall semester, a spokeswoman for the college said.
While in high school, Weigle completed the protective services program at Central Westmoreland Career and Technology Center and planned a career in emergency services, Jones said.
“He had acquired quite a folder of training certificates at quite a young age,” said Jones, adding that the young firefighter was trained in rope rescue, water rescue and boat safety.
Pastor Beth Dunlap, who leads the West Newton First Church of God, began calling neighbors on a prayer chain for Weigle’s family yesterday afternoon after she heard the news of his death.
“The family needs prayer and the support and encouragement of friends,” said Dunlap, who acts as chaplain for the neighboring West Newton Volunteer Fire Department.
She said she worked with Weigle’s mother a few years ago to help organize Bible school.
“Parents aren’t supposed to bury their children,” she said. “For someone to lose their life that young and that tragically, it’s just terrible.”
Jones said Collinsburg Volunteer Fire Department is planning a firefighter’s memorial service for Weigle.
State police at Belle Vernon are investigating the accident.
Copyright 2011 Tribune Review Publishing Company