Lower Moreland HS to ropen Monday after deadly crash

LOWER MORELAND TWP., Pa. (WPVI) -- Lower Moreland High School in Montgomery County will open on a normal schedule on Monday, following this weekend's deadly crash.

Construction crews spent the day Sunday making needed repairs.

The crash happened around 1:30 p.m. Saturday on the 500 block of Red Lion Road in Lower Moreland.

The driver, identified as 32-year-old Filipe Andre Pinto Silva of Huntingdon Valley, slammed his vehicle into the side of the school's building.

"I saw the truck speeding down right here in the building," said Justin Schorran.

Witnesses say a black pickup truck with Virginia tags being driven sped across the parking lot.

"I saw a black truck, I saw it revving its engine and just smoke coming from it. I heard it gun down the parking lot all the way down until I heard this gigantic whack," said witness Josh Pilchik.

The truck sped 150 yards and crashed right into the janitor's office where some staff members had been only moments earlier.

"Thankfully, they left a few minutes before that and they're out here right now. Thankfully they're fine," said Mary Kate Feeley, Supt. of Moreland School District.

An Action News viewer sent us video from the scene via Twitter.

The driver was pronounced dead at the scene.

Emergency response teams had a tense situation because electrical wires were down and water pipes burst in the building.

"They had to get everything shut down, PECO responded. There was some concern about someone being injured by trying to enter the building because of the proximity of the water heaters and water pipes being broke and the electricity still going on - we just wanted to make sure we avoided any other tragedy which we did," said Chief Pete Hasson, Lower Moreland Police.

In the cafeteria next to the janitor's office, people were cooking food for a pasta fundraiser Saturday night to raise money for the music booster program. Fortunately they were not injured.

"They got here about 9 in the morning and started cooking. Thousands of dollars and a lot of foot went to waste," said Pilchik.

The event on Saturday was canceled.

The cause of the crash is under investigation.