NEW SEWICKLEY TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A close-knit corner of Beaver County is waking up in sadness after a local woman died in a head-on crash Friday evening that shook neighbors and shook up Freedom Crider Road. Denise Babyak, 68, of nearby Harmony Township, was killed when her vehicle veered into oncoming traffic and slammed into another car just after 6:15 p.m., according to the New Sewickley Township Police Department.
Authorities say Babyak was driving westbound along Freedom Crider Road in the 1200 block when her vehicle crossed over the center line and collided with an eastbound car. Emergency crews were on scene quickly, but Babyak was pronounced dead at the site. The driver of the other car walked away with no reported injuries.
Police haven’t pinned down exactly why her car drifted into the wrong lane, and their investigation continues into what led up to the crash. Township officials have said that although the road surface was wet from earlier precipitation, there was no significant snow or ice that would explain the loss of control — and weather is not currently considered a factor.
For more than three hours after the wreck, Freedom Crider Road was closed from Lovi Road to the Route 989 roundabout while first responders and state police worked the scene and gathered evidence. Residents along the route were rerouted or held up as teams pieced together the moments before and after the collision.
Friends and neighbors in Harmony describe Babyak as the kind of person everyone turned to for a warm hello and a friendly wave. Though official statements have stayed focused on the facts of the crash itself, community members are quietly remembering a woman whose presence in daily life, small conversations and local gatherings will now be dearly missed.
The New Sewickley Township Police Department continues to ask anyone who might have witnessed the crash or has more information to come forward as they work to understand what happened. Officials say the investigation is active and that it may take time before more details are released.
A memorial of flowers and messages has already begun appearing near the stretch of Freedom Crider Road where the crash occurred, left by people who want to honor Babyak’s memory and show support to her family during a heartbreaking weekend for the community.
