2 Penn. Firefighters Killed in Car Crash While on Duty Searching for Missing Woman

2 Penn. Firefighters Killed in Car Crash While on Duty Searching for Missing Woman.Credit : wgaltv/YouTube

NEED TO KNOW

On Saturday, April 4, two fire chiefs died in a roadway accident while searching for a missing woman in Pennsylvania
The first responders were in a UTV when they were struck by a vehicle operated by a driver who, police say, was allegedly under the influence, according to reports
The driver of the vehicle is facing multiple charges, local outlets reported

Two firefighters were fatally struck while traveling in a UTV while searching for a missing woman in Pennsylvania. The 26-year-old driver of the other vehicle was later arrested and charged, according to reports.

On the afternoon of Saturday, April 4, members of the Walnuttown Fire Company were searching for a missing woman in Richmond Township, Berks County Coroner Matthew J. Stitzel said in a statement shared with PEOPLE.

As part of the search, Fire Chief Jeffory L. Buck and Assistant Fire Chief Robert R. Shick, Jr. were riding in a UTV north on Route 222 in Richmond Township when the vehicle was involved in a head-on collision with a Toyota Camry traveling south, the coroner said.

File image of a rescue truck from Walnuttown Fire and Rescue

File image of a rescue truck from Walnuttown Fire and Rescue.Walnuttown Fire and Rescue/Facebook

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Police confirmed to NBC affiliate WCAU that the firefighters were driving on the shoulder of the road when witnesses saw the other car swerve off the road and hit the UTV. By approximately 6 p.m. local time, officials were dispatched to the scene on Route 222.

Buck and Shick were transported to separate area hospitals where they succumbed to their injuries, Stitzel said.

Autopsies for both victims are scheduled for Monday, April 6, and an investigation into their deaths is ongoing.

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In a separate statement shared with PEOPLE, Lehigh County Coroner Daniel A. Buglio also confirmed the deaths and offered his condolences to Schick and Buck’s families.

“We mourn alongside them during this profound loss and honor the dedication, courage, and selfless service these two fallen heroes gave in the line of duty,” Buglio continued. “Their commitment to protecting and serving others will never be forgotten, and their sacrifice will be forever remembered.”

Following the fatal crash, the two people in the Camry fled the scene and were apprehended, officials confirmed to WCAU and independent station WFMZ. The driver has since been identified as Alexander Sepulveda‑Rivera, a 26-year-old man from the Bronx, New York, according to the outlets.

A Fleetwood Police spokesperson claimed to WCAU that Sepulveda‑Rivera was driving under the influence and without a license. He has since been charged with homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence, according to the outlets. The driver is also facing other charges, such as reckless driving and involuntary manslaughter, according to WCAU.

The Fleetwood Police Department and Berks County District Attorney John Adams did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s requests for additional information. It is unclear whether Sepulveda‑Rivera has secured legal representation and whether the other person in the Camry has been charged.

“You don’t really prepare yourself for an incident like this,” Walnuttown Fire and Rescue Lieutenant Ryan Tyson told WCAU. “Let alone two at the same time.”

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In a statement on social media, the Walnuttown Fire and Rescue offered “our thoughts and prayers to the Shick and Buck family.”

The organization added, “Rest easy, chiefs, we got it from here.”