Witness recounts deadly crash on Fort Duquesne Bridge ramp

A witness shared his account of the crash on the Fort Duquesne Bridge ramp that killed two people, including one whose vehicle fell onto Reedsdale Street below. Balloons and candles now mark the stretch of Reedsdale beneath the ramp where the crash happened Wednesday afternoon.Nicholas Hunter, who witnessed the crash, said he was riding in the back seat of a friend’s car when he noticed a vehicle driving fast past several cars. Concerned, he began filming with his phone. “I blinked for a second, and the car had already flipped over. I didn't see that car anymore. I just saw the wreck,” Hunter said. Hunter believes the black SUV he captured on video was the vehicle that went over the side of the ramp, landing on the street below. Police identified the driver of that car as 52-year-old Michael Smith, who died at the scene. After the crash, Hunter said he went car to car searching for people in need of help. He found 58-year-old Danielle Jackman in her vehicle. “I came upon Danielle's car. I didn't see any movement there. All of the airbags had deployed, especially on the driver's side. The other side of her car was wedged against the concrete edge of the expressway,” Hunter said. Unable to get Jackman out of the car, Hunter said he stayed with her until medics arrived. “I just wanted her to know that help was on the way, and that I was going to stay with her and that she wasn't alone,” Hunter said. "At some point, another woman that I didn’t know had arrived, and she continued to hold this woman’s hand and pray over her."Emergency crews used the Jaws of Life to free Jackman from her vehicle. She was taken to UPMC Mercy, where she later died. “To the fire department, you guys were amazing, and they did everything they could to save that woman,” Hunter said. “It was very horrific. This was a tragedy for everyone involved." Pittsburgh police are actively investigating the crash.Download the WTAE app to stay connected with breaking news. Sign up for our email newsletters to get breaking news in your inbox.