Free Republic

PITTSBURGH - A police investigator says new evidence suggests that former Pittsburgh Steelers lineman Justin Strzelczyk likely had a mental breakdown leading up to a dramatic highway chase that ended in a fiery head-on crash that killed him, a newspaper reported. New York State Police have been trying to unravel what prompted Strzelczyk, 36, of McCandless, to lead troopers on a a 40-mile chase on the New York State Thruway after fleeing a hit-and-run accident just west of Syracuse, N.Y., on Sept. 30. Strzelczyk eventually swerved across a median into the westbound lanes after an eastbound trucker cut him off,...

HERKIMER, N.Y. - Justin Strzelczyk, a former player for the Pittsburgh Steelers (news), died Thursday in a fiery head-on collision with a tanker truck after he led state troopers on a 40-mile highway chase during morning rush hour. Strzelczyk, 36, was an offensive lineman with the Steelers for nearly a decade until the team released him in February 2000. State police said Strzelczyk crashed his pickup truck into the westbound empty tanker just moments after swerving around a tractor-trailer that pulled across the highway to block the eastbound lanes. Strzelczyk drove 15 miles on three tires and a rim after...

HERKIMER, N.Y. - Justin Strzelczyk, a former player for the Pittsburgh Steelers, died Thursday in a fiery head-on collision with a tanker truck after he led state troopers on a 40-mile highway chase during morning rush hour. Strzelczyk, 36, was an offensive lineman with the Steelers for nearly a decade until the team released him in February 2000. State police said Strzelczyk crashed his pickup truck into the westbound empty tanker just moments after swerving around a tractor-trailer that pulled across the highway to block the eastbound lanes. Strzelczyk drove 15 miles on three tires and a rim after one...

HERKIMER, N.Y. (AP) -- A former player for the Pittsburgh Steelers led state troopers on a 40-mile chase along the New York State Thruway during morning rush hour Thursday before dying in a fiery head-on collision with a tanker truck carrying corrosive acid. State police identified the victim as Justin Strzelczyk, 36, an offensive lineman with the Steelers for nearly a decade until the team released him in February 2000. Troopers said Strzelczyk crashed his pickup truck into the westbound tanker just moments after swerving around a tractor-trailer that had pulled across the highway to block its path in the...