State Police Investigating Pedestrian's Highway Death As Suspicious
INDUSTRY BOROUGH (KDKA) -- State police say a passing motorist saw an object on State Route 68 in Industry and called 911 after a closer inspection revealed it was a person.
Authorities think Brandon Bixler, 25, was walking along the highway in the westbound lane when he was struck and killed.
"We're not ruling out a fatal hit-and-run, but we're also not ruling out a homicide," Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Eric Hermick said.
The accident happened around 2:30 a.m. Sunday. Authorities won't say if the victim lived nearby.
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While they believe this is a suspicious death, they may be willing to give the driver the benefit of the doubt because it happened on a dark stretch of highway.
"If anybody has any information, yes, and if anybody thinks they may have hit an animal or deer, they need to reach out and contact Beaver Borough Police," Hermick said.
"That's what we're still trying to determine. Piece everything together," Beaver Borough Police Chief Daniel Madgar said.
Right now, police are hoping autopsy results will assist the investigation. Bixler's cause of death was ruled to be blunt force trauma to the head and trunk.
"We did put information out that we were looking for a white vehicle, possibly a Honda, because we have parts at the scene that match that," Hermick said.
Investigators may not have much information, but they are determined to find out who was involved and why, saying they owe that much to the victim and his family.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help pay for Bixler's funeral costs. For more information, visit the page here.
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