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Three females killed in Bethel Park crash identified

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Three females were killed and another injured early July 25 when the SUV they were riding in crashed in Bethel Park, Allegheny County police said.

Investigators said the driver was speeding when her SUV struck a utility pole, shearing it in half along the northbound lane in the 5600 block of Library Road at 12:40 a.m. before becoming entangled in wires.

Heather Nicole Camisa, 17, of Finleyville, died at the scene and Bianca E. Herwig, 23, of McDonald, died at an area hospital, according to the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s office.

Paige Nicole Smith, 21, of Bethel Park, also died at the scene, according to the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s office. A 21-year-old woman was ejected and taken to an area hospital in critical condition.

Camisa was going to be a senior at Ringgold High School, said district Superintendent Karen Pokabla.

“We are very sorry to hear this,” she said late Tuesday afternoon. “This is tragedy for her family and for the school district family as well.”

Pokabla said the district will be offering grief counseling to students who may need it from 1 to 3 p.m. Wednesday and 9 a.m. to noon Thursday at Ringgold Middle School in Finleyville. The middle school was chosen because it is in the area where Camisa lived, and also because the high school driveway is being paved and access is limited.

Library Road was closed for several hours while police investigated. During that time, the road was cleared of debris, including telephone wire that was placed temporarily in the yard of a home across the street from the accident scene.

A speed limit sign was knocked down in the collision, and the scene showed skid marks in the northbound lane of Library Road and a large tire rut in the front yard of where the wreck occurred. Bethel Park police are assisting Allegheny County homicide detectives with the investigation. Alcohol is thought to be a factor in the crash, police said.

Anyone who heard or saw the vehicle prior to the crash is asked to call Allegheny County police or Bethel Park police at 412-473-1300.

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