Danielle J. Duncan Obituary, Death – NEW VERNON TOWNSHIP — An accident that occurred on Friday night on Interstate 79 near the Greenville exit claimed the life of an Allegheny College student. Danielle J. Duncan, 19, from Mount Lebanon, Pennsylvania, was a first-year student at Allegheny College, according to a report in the school’s newspaper, The Campus. Danielle J. Duncan was pronounced dead at the scene of the incident. According to the authorities, the collision took place on Friday evening at 8:04 p.m. on Interstate 79 in New Vernon Township. According to the state police, Matteo A. Guajardo, 18, of Pittsburgh, was driving a minivan southbound on Interstate 79 when he lost control of the vehicle and crashed into the guardrail.
Duncan was a passenger in the van. The minivan left the east side of the road, climbed up and over an embankment, and flipped over before coming to a stop. The minivan came to a stop in the left lane of traffic heading north on Interstate 79 with its wheels pointing in the opposite direction. The minivan’s lights had reportedly stopped working, and it was blocking the left lane, according to the police. When that happened, a truck driven by Daniel D. Byler, 51, from Cochranton, Pennsylvania, collided with the side of the minivan that was facing the passenger. The minivan and the truck both came to a stop off to the side of the road.
Guajardo, who may have suffered significant injuries, was transported in an ambulance to a hospital in the area. Byler did not sustain any injuries. According to the police, Guajardo was not wearing a seat belt while Duncan and Byler were wearing theirs. An email sent by the institution to the members of the campus community was distributed on Saturday afternoon, according to the Campus newspaper. The email had a statement that stated, in part, “During this trying and terrible time, we mourn for Danielle and express our sincere condolences to her family, students, friends, and all who knew her.”
According to a post made on the Instagram profile called “@allegheny2026,” it was written in the newspaper that Duncan intended to study environmental science as his major in college. The email provided information regarding support services that were available to students as well as other members of the campus community.
