Published: June 13, 2007 11:26 pm      

Indiana County wreck kills Windber motorist

Wrecks in Somerset and Indiana counties Wednesday claimed the lives of two men – one from Windber, the other from Grantsville, Md.

Just outside Indiana Borough, a 26-year-old former Indiana man who moved to Windber last weekend was killed in a one-car accident just before noon.

The crash occurred in the 1200 block of Wayne Avenue.

A 2-month-old infant, who was in the rear of the car was not injured, state police said.

Indiana County Coroner Michael Baker identified the victim as Joshua Lloyd McManus.

McManus was pronounced dead at the scene.

The cause of death was blunt-force injuries of the head, neck and chest, Baker said.

McManus was southbound when his car went out of control and struck a utility pole, police said. Speed was a factor, the report said.

On Route 219 near Salisbury in southern Somerset County, Mark William Horchler, 84, of Grantsville, Md., a driver, died at the scene of a three-vehicle accident just after noon, state police said.

A passenger in his car, Florence Horchler, 83, also of Grantsville, was taken to the hospital with severe injuries, police said.

The accident took place when a pickup truck driven by Kevin Joseph Meterko, 44, of Burnside, Clearfield County, crossed the center line and struck the Horchler car nearly head-on, police said.

After impact, the Meterko truck struck a car driven by Gordon James Opel, 30, of Cumberland, Md.

Opel, who was traveling behind Horchler, had minor injuries and was taken to a hospital, according to police. A passenger also was taken to a hospital for treatment, police said.

Meterko was uninjured.