PITTSBURGH — The driver in a Monday morning crash near the Lawrence-Butler County line that killed his girlfriend died of injuries later that night, authorities said.

Edward Sturges, 59, of Shenango Township was pronounced dead at 8:38 p.m. at UPMC Presbyterian hospital in Pittsburgh.

Sturges died of severe injuries to the head and chest, according to the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office.

His passenger and girlfriend, Beverly K. Hassinger, 59, of Shenango Township, was pronounced dead at the scene after the crash shortly before 8 a.m. in Slippery Rock Township, Lawrence County.

State police said Sturges was traveling east on Route 422 near Fox Road when he applied the brakes and lost control of his 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt.

Rescuers said the highway was slushed covered and slippery at the time.

The couple was headed to Cranberry Township in Butler County where Hassinger had a routine doctor visit scheduled, said Lawrence County Coroner Russell Noga.

Sturges’ car crossed into the westbound lane and was struck on the rear passenger side by a tractor-trailer traveling west. The truck driver, Ovidiu T. Tihauan, 44, of Mundelein, Ill., was not injured but his rig was damaged and had to be towed away.

The car sustained heavy damage and also had to be towed. All three occupants in the vehicles were wearing seat belts.

The crash closed a portion of the highway for more than five hours, authorities said.

Hassinger worked as a pharmacy technician at the Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy in Ellwood City for 20 years until it closed. More recently, she worked at CVS Pharmacy in Ellwood City.

Funeral arrangements for Sturges were still pending as of this morning.