Feb 3, 2007 By Joyce Koballa 2 min read

The driver of a Chevrolet S-10 Blazer and his passenger, a Connellsville woman, died Friday when slippery road conditions reportedly caused their vehicle to collide with a school bus on Route 711 in Springfield Township. Fayette County Coroner Dr. Phillip E. Reilly said Ruth A. Jaquay, 62, of 106 Francis Ave. was pronounced dead at the scene at 2:35 p.m. by Deputy Coroner Paul Kondrla while Jacob Daniels, 64, no address given, was transported by Fayette EMS to Highlands Hospital in Connellsville where he later died.

Reilly said the driver of the school bus, which is contracted by Connellsville Area School District, was not injured nor was there any passengers at the time of the accident.

Reilly listed the cause of death for Jaquay as blunt force trauma to the head and neck with a cervical spine fracture.

According to Reilly, the accident occurred as Daniels was traveling uphill on Route 711 when he suddenly lost control of the vehicle in the snow and slush, causing it to abruptly swerve to the left and exposing the right side of the vehicle to the oncoming front end of the school bus, which was traveling downhill.

Reilly added that Jaquay died upon impact.

No further information was available regarding Daniels at presstime.

Uniontown state police and Springfield Township Volunteer Fire Co. also assisted at the scene.

Emergency officials found themselves inundated with telephone calls as Fayette County was hit with about 3 inches of snow by the end of the day, making driving conditions hazardous for motorists.

“That’s enough to make it slippery,” said Brad Rehak, meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

The area is expected to receive an arctic blast today that will continue throughout most of next week.

Rehak added the snow was the result of a cold front from the upper Midwest bringing with it arctic-like temperatures that, for the most part, will remain in the single digits over the next few days with highs ranging between 10 and 15 degrees during the day and plummeting into the single digits at night.

Rehak said there will be a slight chance of snow showers again today in the morning and afternoon with little or no accumulation, however, wind gusts of 10 to 20 mph are expected, making the wind chill below zero.