After Deadly Crash, Community Looks To Help One of Their Own

By Allen Vickers of WNEP-TV

MOSCOW -- A Friday evening crash on Interstate 80 near Tannersville left three dead, three people in the hospital, and a community searching for answers.

One of the vehicles involved in the deadly crash was carrying the family of Aleksey Dmitriev, a Moscow police officer and Pocono Mountain Regional EMT. His 12-year-old brother died at the scene and his younger sister Andrea Rutowski passed away at the hospital. Dmitriev's mother and stepfather were badly hurt and rushed to the hospital.

Moscow mayor Rose Warner says this type of loss is heart-wrenching.

"To have that happen so suddenly, he was due to go on to shift and our Chief Brenzel was notified by him that this was his family and he was unable to make it in," said Moscow Mayor Warner.

Although Warner is new to her post, she helped interview Dmitriev when he was hired with the Moscow Police Department.

"It's hard to be on the other side of it. I mean you learn how to cope when you are in situations like that. As far as a police officer, when it's your family I cant even imagine," said Mayor Warner.

Tim O'Grady owns The Jive, a bar in Moscow, and has known Dmitriev for years.

"He's the sweetest nicest guy that I've ever met. He is the hardest working guy I ever met and this is horrible news," said O'Grady.

Friends have made a GoFundMe page to help pay for funeral expenses. The borough of Moscow plans to do everything in its power to help one of their own.

Story and Video from WNEP-TV