College student killed after truck carrying 20K lbs. of soap overturned onto her car

BENSALEM, Pa. -- The 18-year-old woman who was killed when a tractor trailer overturned, crushing her car on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, has been identified.

Kelly O'Brien was from Moorestown, New Jersey, and was a freshman at Arcadia University in Glenside, Pa.

The crash happened around 3 p.m. Monday in the eastbound lanes of the Turnpike in Bensalem.

Police say the vehicles made contact on the highway, sending both into the embankment. That's where the truck rolled over onto the car.

The truck was carrying 20,000 pounds of soap when it overturned.

O'Brien, who was only one inside the car, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The 18-year-old woman who was killed when a tractor trailer overturned, crushing her car on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, has been identified.

"It's just unreal, she was such a nice person. I can't even believe that, it's such a shame. I just feel bad. Prayers go out to her family and everybody that knows her," said Jimmy Carruthers of Moorestown.

O'Brien was a 2015 graduate of Moorestown High School and was a communications major at Arcadia.

The truck driver, identified as Matthew A. Bradley of Benton Harbor, Michigan, was pulled from the wreckage and transported to the hospital.

Late Monday night, eastbound lanes were diverted at the Willow Grove Interchange while crews cleared the scene. All eastbound lanes reopened early Tuesday morning.

Chopper 6 was over the scene after a truck overturned on the Pa. Turnpike.

The president of Arcadia University released the following statement:

Dear Members of the Arcadia Community,

I am deeply saddened to report that one of our first year students, Kelly O'Brien, died yesterday as the result of a tragic motor vehicle accident on the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

Kelly was a Communications major from Moorestown, New Jersey.

Our condolences as well as our thoughts and prayers are with Kelly's family, friends, and loved ones.

We encourage any Arcadia community member who may want assistance or need to talk during this difficult time to visit Counseling Services on the ground floor of Heinz Hall or call the office at 215-572-2967.

Walk-ins are available from 1 pm to 3 pm daily.

In our sorrow, we must support one another and, particularly, the members of our campus community who were closest to Kelly as we mourn her loss.

With deepest sympathy,

President Nicolette DeVille Christensen