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Heart problems linked to driver’s death

By Jackie Beranek 2 min read

Heart problems are being blamed for the death Tuesday morning of a Uniontown woman who lost control of her vehicle and crashed into a dump truck on East Fayette Street in Uniontown. City Police Detective Phillip Jones said Sue Fike, 64, of 68 Belmont Circle was pronounced dead at Uniontown Hospital following the 10:34 a.m. crash.

Jones said Fike while traveling in an East Fayette Street construction zone when witnesses said she began to drive erratically, lost control of her white Oldsmobile mini van and struck a parked 1988 dump truck owned by Todesco Construction of Pittsburgh.

Jones said, luckily, none of the dozen or more construction workers in the area was hurt in the crash.

Fayette County Coroner Dr. Phillip Reilly said the woman died from a cardiac event, not injuries sustained in the crash.

Reilly said Fike spoke to the responding police officers, saying, “I was too sick and I couldn’t stop. I was just too sick.”

Reilly said when Uniontown EMS got there Fike had a feeble pulse, so they worked on her and transferred her to the hospital.

“At the hospital, she had a feeble pulse but couldn’t be revived,” Reilly said. “I listed it as a cardiac event because I couldn’t find any blunt-force trauma.”

Reilly said Fike’s air bags were deployed but she wasn’t using her seat belt at the time of the accident.

“An autopsy or toxicology are not planned because it was a non-lethal trauma,” said Reilly. “It was a cardiac event or rhythm problem. We are really lucky that none of the workmen were injured because it was a really close call.”

Jones said Fike hit the back end of the dump truck that had just been loaded with dirt by the workers.

In addition to city police and ambulance, the fire department responded to the scene.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Andrew D. Ferguson Funeral Home, Morgantown St., and will be announced when completed.

Jones said Fike only had one living relative who lives in North or South Carolina.

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