A West Penn township man is dead as the result of a violent crash along Route 443 in West Penn township late Thursday night.

The crash occurred just before 11 p.m. as the victim was traveling west in the eastbound lane without lights in his late model black Chevrolet pickup truck.

Near Short Road he encountered an eastbound New England Freight tractor trailer. When the operator of the rig saw him, he could not avoid the crash.

After impact the rig came to rest across Route 443 with the truck tractor against a utility pole on the north berm while the pickup came to rest facing north in the west bound lane.

The victim was pronounced dead at the scene by a Schuylkill County deputy coroner. His name has not yet been released.

Members of the West Penn Fire Company No. 1 extricated the victim from the wreckage. West Penn fire police maintained traffic control at the scene shutting down the roadway and detouring traffic around the scene.

West Penn Township police Sgt. Jason Lorah is investigating the incident, with assistance from Chief of Police Brian Johnson