Democratic candidate for state Senate Nicole Ruscitto was involved in a single-car crash in Clairton, and elected officials are demanding an investigation into the crash.
The Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Campaign Committee posted on X that “After a long day on the campaign trail yesterday, @nicole_ruscitto went to pick up dinner & was in a car accident when she swerved to avoid another car. Police came to the scene and thankfully, no one was hurt.”
An X user responded to the SDCC’s statement with photos of the location of the crash. Ruscitto appears to have driven halfway up the hillside where she hit a pole.
Note the spot she hit, halfway up a hillside. That must have been one hell of a "swerve." pic.twitter.com/VKf3uAN6gS
— Patrick Martin (@Patrick16315772) September 1, 2024
The Pennsylvania Senate Republican Committee also took to X saying, “The community deserves answers and transparency from @nicole_ruscitto and the Clairton police. Multiple witnesses have said they saw Ruscitto drinking prior to being in this car crash.”
On Saturday night after the car crash, Republican Committee of Allegheny County Chairman and County Councilman Sam DeMarco issued a statement in which he said, “The fact pattern calls for a more thorough investigation than we have been led to believe Clairton Police have conducted.”
In an interview, DeMarco shared on Sunday that witnesses have reported that Ruscitto was seen drinking at a nearby bar and restaurant in Clairton. Reports said she stumbled into a table on her way out of the restaurant. After leaving the bar and restaurant, Ruscitto crashed into a utility pole near the establishment.
While the mayor says Clairton is doing an internal probe, DeMarco is suing the district attorney to conduct an independent investigation to see whether special favors were given and if there was an effort to cover up the accident because of no breathalyzer administered by law enforcement at the scene.
