The Tribune Democrat, Johnstown, PA

November 27, 2008

Wreck kills woman

She was bound for Stoystown

BY JULIE BENAMATI

A Lancaster County woman with ties to this region died of injuries suffered in a two-vehicle wreck on her way home for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Brianna Lasure, 29, of Akron, was traveling home to Stoystown when the accident occurred just after noon Thursday, said Jeffrey Lees, Cambria County’s chief deputy coroner.

She was a graduate of IUP and had done her student teaching at Greater Johnstown High School, according to a Web site for the school district where she worked.

Lees said Lasure was rounding a curve on Route 30 when her car went out of control and crossed the center line sideways.

Her 2002 Honda Civic crossed into the eastbound lane, where it was hit broadside by a 1982 Ford F-150 pickup.

The accident happened about four miles west of Schellsburg in Bedford County.

Lasure was flown by MedStar helicopter to Memorial Medical Center’s trauma unit, where she was pronounced dead at 1:29 p.m.

Lees listed the cause of death as blunt force trauma to the upper torso.

“It appears (Lasure) might have been traveling too fast around the curve ... and over-corrected,” Lees said.

She was wearing a seat belt, he said.

The driver of the pickup was not injured, Lees said.

That person’s name was not immediately available.

State police from Bedford are investigating, but had not issued a report by late Thursday.

Lasure had been teaching high school business courses at Pequea Valley School District in Lancaster County since 2006, according to the district’s Web site.

“It’s heart-wrenching to see these tragedies on the holidays,” Lees said.