Friends mourn brothers killed in accident”Wonder kids,” was how a family friend and former neighbor described two Fayette County native teenage brothers from Acme who died in a traffic accident in Mount Pleasant Township Sunday evening.
Clarence “C.J.” Cavalcante, 19, and Daniel Cavalcante, 16, of Claypike Road died at the scene of a two-vehicle accident on Norvelt-Kecksburg Road at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, according to the Westmoreland County coroner’s office. “Wonderful family. Wonderful kids. Just good clean kids,” is how Judy Holt of Flatrock described the Cavalcantes.
She said her son was on the Uniontown Area School District wrestling team with C.J. and Danny Cavalcante before the family moved to Acme three or four years ago.
Holt said the Cavalcantes used to live in Flatrock and then moved to Uniontown before relocating to Acme.
She said she wants to do something to help the Cavalcante family.
State police said Clarence Cavalcante was driving east when the accident occurred.
The other driver was Tia Rugg, 25, of Acme, who was westbound. Both cars had major damage.
The coroner’s office said the mishap occurred two tenths of a mile west of Saloom Road.
The Cavalcantes’ deaths were accidental resulting from blunt force head and chest injuries, according to the coroner’s office.
Police said Clarence Cavalcante was not wearing a seatbelt.
Autopsies will not be performed and toxicology tests on the driver are due in two to four weeks.
It was the second fatal accident to take place in Mount Pleasant Township over the weekend.
On Friday, 75-year-old Zelma Herbert of River Road, Dawson, died in a two-vehicle in which she was a passenger.
Deputy Coroner F. Christopher O’Leath said an autopsy revealed that she died of blunt force injuries to her chest and abdomen. Police said Herbert was using a seatbelt.
He said her death was also ruled accidental.
Wannona Colbert, 43, of Dawson was driving and William Colbert, 51, of Dawson was a second passenger, police said. The driver was using a seatbelt had minor injuries and William Colbert was also injured, police said. It was not known if he was wearing a seatbelt.
They were traveling east on Hecla-Middle Churches Road at 11:10 p.m. when they collided with Mary Kiral, 49, of Mount Pleasant. She was using a seatbelt and suffered minor injuries, police said.
State police at Greensburg investigated both accidents.