West View Couple Among Victims of Fatal I-80 Crash in Venango County.

A West View husband and wife were among three people who died in a chain-reaction crash Saturday after a snow squall created whiteout conditions along an accident-prone corridor of Interstate 80 in Venango County, authorities said.

Venango County Deputy Coroner Chris Hile today identified the couple as Robert W. Duffy and Rita Duffy, both of West View. Hile did not know their ages but described them both as in their 50s.

Robert Duffy was the assistant principal at Franklin Regional Middle School in Murrysville, and his wife worked at a Pittsburgh-area law firm, the deputy coroner said.  Also killed in the crash was Michael Maluk, 70, of Greenville, Mercer County. Several others were injured.

The crash occurred at 2:30 p.m. Saturday in the westbound lanes of I-80 between Emlenton and Clintonville in a wooded rural corridor that has been the scene of numerous prior crashes. Hile said a sudden snow squall nearly eliminated visibility for drivers on the highway, causing multiple pileups involving at least 50 vehicles through a 10-mile area. 

"It's a corridor known for rapidly changing weather. These snow squalls come up and they almost do not give people time to react or adapt their driving habits," Hile said.

"Commercial truck traffic also does not stop or slow down for (changing) weather," he added. "It just does not stop."

The Duffys were riding in a Volkwagen that slid under a truck as vehicles began to crash or slide out of control, Hile said. The highway remained closed in both directions until earlier today, state police said.

The in West View is handling arrangements for the Duffys. Arrangements are incomplete, according to the funeral home.

Check back with Patch for more information about arrangements.