State Police: Zelienople Teen Attended Drinking Party Before Fatal I-79 Crash

State police said a 17-year-old Zelienople teen was drinking alcohol at a house party in Harmony before he walked onto Interstate 79 in Lancaster Township, where two passing tractor-trailer trucks struck and killed him.

Former student Joseph Barone was standing near the dashed white line in the right lane of the highway's southbound traffic in Lancaster Township at about 1 a.m. March 3 when the first tractor-trailer hit him. The impact caused the teen to be thrown into the left lane of the highway, police said.

At least one other tractor-trailer struck Barone, and the impact threw his body from the highway, according to police.

Troopers at the Butler station said their investigation of the incident led them to information that Barone attended an underage drinking party before his death.  

Robert George Hahn, 22, of Evans City has been charged with providing alcohol to minors at the party that Barone attended. Hahn also is charged with reckless endangerment and corruption of a minor.

The Butler County Coroner’s office pronounced Barone dead at the scene at about 4 on the morning of the incident. There were no other injuries.

spokeswoman Linda Andreassi said Barone was a former student who last attended classes in the district in the 2010-2011 school year.

"We are deeply saddened to learn of the tragic passing of Mr. Joseph Barone," she said. "While not currently enrolled in our district, he did attend previously, and we extend our heartfelt sympathy to his family and friends during this time."

The son of Christopher Barone of Pittsburgh and Stephanie Barone of Zelienople, Barone enjoyed playing hacky sack, video games and hanging out with his friends around camp fires, according to his obituary on the Boylan Funeral Home website.

He also had a brother and two sisters, all of whom live in Zelienople.