Crash kills student

An Erie student on his way to fall classes at Pennsylvania State University died Sunday when the sport utility vehicle in which he was riding — a Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by a friend — crashed into the back of a tractor-trailer.


Nicholas P. Caccavo, 19, was pronounced dead at the scene, on Interstate 80 in Clearfield County. His friend, 19-year-old Shawn P. Browne, was taken to Altoona Hospital, where he was in fair condition Monday night. Both teens were 2006 graduates of Northwestern Pennsylvania Collegiate Academy. They were to be sophomores at Penn State.


Caccavo was an engineering major, said Erie schools Superintendent Jim Barker, a close friend of the Caccavo family.


Caccavo and Browne were driving to University Park. Classes begin Aug. 27.


At about 3:05 p.m. Sunday, in Graham Township, Clearfield County, a tractor-trailer slowed for traffic, state police said. Browne did not notice, police said. His Jeep struck the back of the rig and then rolled.


Both teens were wearing seat belts, police said. The truck’s driver, Robert Murphy, of Iowa, was not injured.


-GoErie.com, Tuesday, August 21, 2007