Motorist shoots himself while driving
A Smithfield man shot himself in the head while driving on Route 40 and eventually wrecked his car into two other vehicles along the way into South Union Township around 2:25 p.m. Wednesday, state police said. Richard Guthrie, 37, allegedly took a gun from his girlfriend’s purse and shot himself while driving through Redstone Township, according to police.
Surviving the gunshot, Guthrie continued driving into the Uniontown area, where his car struck two vehicles on Route 40, police said. He finally passed out when the vehicle reached the Route 119 bypass, and his girlfriend called Fayette County 911, according to police.
State police, American EMS and South Union and West Leisenring volunteer fire departments responded to the scene.
Rick McCormick, South Union assistant fire chief, said Guthrie’s girlfriend suffered minor injuries and was treated at the scene.
Richard Silbaugh was the 37-year-old Smithfield man who shot himself in the head while driving on Route 40 around 2:25 p.m. Wednesday, state police said. Police incorrectly identified the man as Richard Guthrie, which was reported in Thursday’s edition.