Driver in Pennsylvania crash that killed 1, injured 8 had license revoked for medical reasons: police

HAVERFORD TWP., Pa. -- The driver of a pickup truck involved in a deadly crash was driving on a license that was revoked for medical reasons, according to police.

The driver of the truck, 57-year-old John Ryan, died, and eight other people were injured Saturday in that multi-vehicle crash that damaged 16 vehicles in Haverford Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania.

Haverford Township Police Chief John Viola said the crashes began at Darby Road and West Chester Pike and ended about 1.5 miles away at West Chester Pike and Eagle Road around 12:15 p.m.

Police believe Ryan experienced a medical emergency before the incident.

Viola said Ryan began traveling erratically at a high rate of speed and struck multiple vehicles along the route.

Surveillance video captured the end of the crash, showing the pickup truck traveling down the street, colliding with stopped vehicles, flipping onto its side and ultimately crashing into a U-Haul truck.

Witnesses described the incident as chaotic.

"It's a very sad thing that happened," said Yusuf Peters, of Upper Darby.

"It was just bang, bang, bang, bang, looked in my rearview mirror and cars were going left and right," said Rob Rothacker, of Bethlehem.

Another witness said, "Then the next thing you know, collision noise, glass noise, metal crushing."

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Viola said the scale of the crash was striking.

"I would say breathtaking. It kinda takes you back a bit that you have to take the whole scene in and realize how many people were actually hurt here and the amount of cars that were heavily damaged," he said.

Authorities said eight people were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Viola said those who were hospitalized are expected to recover.

One person involved in the crash said, "I feel very fortunate walking away from this."

Drivers whose vehicles were damaged said they can be fixed.

"Who cares? It's a car that could be replaced. This guy can't be replaced. Hopefully, all of these other people who went to the hospital are going to be OK," Rothacker said.