Darrell Sapp, Post-Gazette A firefighter is surrounded by mangled automobiles involved in yesterday's accident on Carson Street on the South Side.

By Jonathan Silver
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

A Pittsburgh refuse worker who was driving a recycling truck during a fatal accident in November was behind the wheel yesterday when the same vehicle demolished six cars on the South Side.

The driver, Kevin Washington, 30, of the North Side, was not faulted for the death of his co-worker last year, and police said he did not appear to be responsible yesterday.

Instead, police said the driver of a station wagon pulled out from a parking space on Carson Street in front of the inbound recycling truck, leading to mayhem when Mr. Washington had no time to stop.

"Then the cars went flying like it was a demolition derby," said Susan Staab, 40, of Castle Shannon, who was driving behind the truck.

The half-full truck -- which weighs 32,000 pounds empty -- struck the station wagon and forced it into five other vehicles parked along the 300 block of East Carson Street.

	Darrell Sapp, Post-Gazette Several wrecked vehicles are strewn along Carson Street after yesterday's accident. Click photo for larger image.

"That [vehicle] became literally a snowplow pushing the others around," Public Works Director Guy Costa said.

So loud was the impact, the squealing of the truck's tires and the screeching of shredded metal that in a second-floor office overlooking the street, Melissa Hoffman, 27, thought a train had derailed.

When the truck stopped at Third Street, a half-block from the collision, one vehicle lay on its roof, another on its side, and a third had its hood ripped off.

Six vehicles, which moments earlier had been parked on the north side of the road between Terminal Way and Third Street, were totaled.

"This morning while I was getting dressed, I was thinking I have only 18 more payments to go," said Lisa Knechtel, 52, of Mt. Lebanon, owner of the flipped vehicle, which had 9,000 miles.

Ms. Knechtel, who owns the Mirrors beauty salon Downtown, said she has parked in the neighborhood for four years and walked to work. She purposely stationed her 2004 Lexus sport utility vehicle back from the corner to decrease the chance that it would be struck.

"It's been good for four years, but not today," she said.

The only person injured was the driver of the station wagon. His identity was not available yesterday, but police said he was in stable condition at Mercy Hospital. His car was crushed and looked like a vehicle that had been compacted at a junkyard. Rescue workers had to use the Jaws of Life to pry him out.

The accident happened at 12:54 p.m. and was captured on video by a camera mounted on the outside of the Terminal Building. The Collision Investigation Unit was reviewing the tape last night.

City police Cmdr. RaShall Brackney said it was the obligation of the driver of the station wagon to make sure the roadway was clear before pulling into traffic. She added that the weight of the recycling truck would make it difficult to stop quickly.

Pedestrians walking on Carson Street came within seconds of being struck by the chain-reaction collision, Cmdr. Brackney said.

Mrs. Staab, a bookkeeper, was returning to her job from an errand when the accident occurred in front of the offices of the New Pittsburgh Courier.

"He just darted out of the parking space like there was nobody coming," Mrs. Staab said. She said the recycling truck had no room to avoid the station wagon.

The speed limit on that section of Carson Street is 25 mph. Mrs. Staab said she was driving 30 mph and estimated that the recycling truck was doing about the same speed.

Mr. Washington remained on the scene in his city-issued orange jumpsuit, surveying the wreckage. He declined comment. Authorities said his blood would be drawn as part of routine testing for drugs and alcohol.

On Nov. 7, Mr. Washington was driving the same truck when it accidentally ran over co-worker Eugene Sunseri III in Carrick. Mr. Sunseri, who died on his 44th birthday, was apparently sitting on the back of the truck against policy when the vehicle backed up and pinned his leg.

Mr. Costa said Mr. Washington served a one-day suspension from work last Wednesday for his involvement in the November accident.

"When you're involved in an accident with the city, you have to be disciplined," Mr. Costa said.

The decision on how long the suspension would be was postponed until after the police report became available, he said. When that report did not fault Mr. Washington, only a one-day suspension was ordered based upon a recommendation by Environmental Services Bureau head William Klimovich.

Mr. Washington joined the bureau two years ago. He was alone when the accident occurred, Mr. Costa said. Mr. Washington had dropped off paper on the South Side and was on his way to McKees Rocks with bottles, cans and plastic.

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Correction/Clarification: (Published Feb. 18, 2006) Police and witness statements about a seven-vehicle crash Feb. 14, 2006 on East Carson Street, South Side, that involved a Pittsburgh recycling truck did not indicate that the truck swerved. A headline on the Feb. 15, 2006 version of this story inaccurately described the truck's movement.