Patrol vehicle collides with garbage truck, killing Pennsylvania state trooper

LIGONIER, Pa. (WPVI) -- A marked patrol vehicle collided with a garbage truck early Friday, killing one state trooper and injuring a second.

The crash occurred at around 2:30 a.m. as Trooper Michael Stewart and his partner were traveling on Route 711, just outside Ligonier, in western Pennsylvania, state police said.

The other trooper's injuries were not considered life-threatening. The condition of the truck driver was not immediately disclosed.

Stewart, 26, enlisted in the state police in January 2014 and served with a Greensburg-based patrol unit. He had also been stationed in Chambersburg.

Stewart is the 98th member of the force to be killed in the line of duty.

"My thoughts, and the thoughts of the entire department, are with the family of Trooper Stewart during this difficult time," State Police Commissioner Tyree C. Blocker said. "Trooper Stewart served the commonwealth honorably, and we join all Pennsylvanians to mourn his passing."

Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf expressed his condolences in a statement, saying Stewart had shown honor and integrity.

"This young trooper's tragic death is a reminder of the selfless sacrifice made each day by every state trooper and their families," Wolf said.

The crash remains under investigation.

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