Robert Greenlee, Seth Baughman Obituary, Death – Two employees of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) lost their lives in a tragic crash in Venango County on Wednesday afternoon. The fatal incident occurred around 2:45 p.m. on Route 965, also known as Jackson Center Polk Road, in Mineral Township, just east of Sandy Lake, according to the Venango County Coroner’s Office.
The Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) reported that the crash involved a PennDOT vehicle traveling eastbound on the rural road. For reasons that remain unknown, the front passenger-side tire experienced a malfunction. As a result, the vehicle veered off the south side of the road, entered a ditch, and struck a tree.
The impact was severe, and both occupants of the vehicle sustained fatal injuries. They were pronounced dead at the scene.
The Venango County Coroner’s Office identified the victims as 58-year-old Robert Greenlee and 31-year-old Seth Baughman. Both men died from multiple blunt force trauma injuries caused by the crash.
Authorities have not yet determined what caused the tire to fail, and the investigation is ongoing. The Pennsylvania State Police stated that further details will be released once more information becomes available.
In the aftermath of the crash, PennDOT issued a brief public statement, expressing grief over the loss of two of their team members. “We’re saddened to share that we lost two members of the PennDOT team yesterday. We don’t have any additional information to share at this time. Our thoughts are with the families, friends, and colleagues of those who lost their lives yesterday serving the Commonwealth,” the agency said in a statement to First News.
The incident highlights the potential dangers faced by transportation workers, even during routine duties on the road. As the community mourns, condolences have poured in for the families of Greenlee and Baughman, both of whom were performing public service duties at the time of the fatal crash.
No further details regarding funeral arrangements or workplace tributes have been released. Officials say the investigation will continue to determine the exact cause of the tire malfunction and whether any other factors contributed to the deadly accident.
This tragic loss underscores the risks that PennDOT employees and other public service workers face while on the job, often in unpredictable environments. State officials are expected to review safety protocols once the investigation is complete.