HARRISON TOWNSHIP, PA — A heartbreaking crash on a quiet Wednesday night has left two Pennsylvania communities in shock, as a 17-year-old girl from Altoona and 21-year-old Jayson Diehl of Manns Choice were killed in a violent collision between a go-kart and a pickup truck.
The Pennsylvania State Police report that the fatal crash occurred just before 9 p.m. on August 6 at the intersection of Allegheny Road and Milligans Cove Road. Investigators say a northbound Ram truck crossed over the double yellow line, directly into the path of a Fox Vortex go-kart carrying the two victims.
The impact was catastrophic. The go-kart became wedged beneath the truck, its small frame crumpled beyond recognition. The teenage passenger was thrown from the vehicle, while Diehl, the driver, was pinned inside the wreckage. The truck continued forward, leaving the roadway before striking a tree. The driver of the pickup was reportedly unharmed.
Emergency crews rushed to the scene, but despite their efforts, both victims were pronounced dead from their injuries. Authorities are still piecing together why the truck veered into the opposite lane.
The deaths have devastated Altoona and Manns Choice, where both young lives were deeply cherished. Friends recall Diehl as adventurous and warm-hearted, always ready to help others. The 17-year-old girl, whose name is being withheld due to her age, is remembered as bright, compassionate, and full of promise — a life cut tragically short before adulthood.
As state police continue their investigation, grief has settled heavily over the two towns. Vigils and memorials are being planned, as family and friends struggle to comprehend how a simple summer night turned into an unimaginable loss.
Two futures, once brimming with potential, ended in an instant — leaving behind a void that no answers will ever truly fill.