He had just completed an evening shift last night and was driving home in his personal vehicle. Another vehicle crossed the center line of Rt. 41 in London Grove Township. The two vehicles collided.
"I could see that the air bag had deployed and I could see there was a person sort of reclined in the driver's seat. That person was not moving," said Paul Pitcher.
The 24-year-old trooper was transported by helicopter to Christiana Hospital where he died early today.
"Tpr. Iwaniec died just three months after graduating from the State Police Academy," Gov. Rendell said. "His death deprives us of a young man who had decided to dedicate his life to serving the citizens of Pennsylvania. Marjorie and I extend our deepest sympathies to the trooper's family."
The woman behind the wheel of the other car is suspected of driving drunk. Police sources say her blood alcohol level was more than 3 times the legal limit. Not only that, police say she had her young son about 5 years old in the car with her at the time of the crash. She suffered only minor injuries. The child was not injured.
Tpr. Iwaniec enlisted in the State Police on June 11 and graduated from the academy in Hershey on Dec. 21.
He was a native of the Pittsburgh area who was living in Lancaster. The young rookie was well-liked and very well-respected by his fellow troopers at the Avondale barracks. He was also recently engaged.