A man from Ohio was killed Sunday afternoon when a deer struck by an oncoming car crashed through the windshield of his SUV.
The freak accident happened on Route 68 in Connoquenessing Township, near the Butler County Humane Society, about 4 p.m.
State police said 73-year-old Michael Modjallal of Akron was likely killed instantly when a deer was thrown into the windshield of his Saturn Vue. Modjallala’s wife was a passenger in the front seat of the vehicle. She was taken to Butler Memorial Hospital.
The deer was initially hit by 53-year-old Anthony McCoppin of Allegheny County, who was traveling eastbound in an antique car. Police say the deer entered the road from the south and was hit by the Mercury Marauder, which caused it to go airborne and directly into the path of the SUV.
“The deer struck the upper windshield area of (the SUV) and entered the passenger compartment causing fatal injuries to Modjallal,” according to a state police report from Investigator Sean Gercken.
McCoppin was not hurt.
A portion of Route 68 in Connoquenessing was shut down in both directions late Sunday afternoon for roughly two hours.