2 people killed in multi-vehicle crash that closed U.S. Route 322 near Philipsburg

Two people died Wednesday in a multi-vehicle crash in the Philipsburg area, one that shut down a portion of U.S. Route 322 — in both directions — for nearly three hours, according to state police.

A spokesperson from the state police at Rockview told the CDT that two vehicles, each with one occupant, collided head-on Wednesday while a third vehicle could not avoid the crash. Both fatalities came from the head-on crash, while the injuries involving any passengers in the third vehicle were not immediately known, police said.

No names of those involved have yet been released.

U.S. Route 322 was closed both ways, between Black Moshannon Road/Presque Isle Street and the exit to Altoona/Port Matilda, just before 3 p.m. It reopened around 6 p.m.

Reporter Bret Pallotto contributed to this report.