WEST FRANKLIN TWP, Armstrong County — State police have identified the driver killed Thursday morning after he lost control of his car while trying to avoid a dead deer on Route 422 at the Armstrong-Butler County line.

Daniel Grissom, 34, of Homer City, Indiana County, died when his Toyota Solara slammed into the side of a tri-axle truck traveling in the opposite direction, police said.

The passenger in the car, Aaron Hicks, 23, of Indiana Pa., was flown by medical helicopter to UPMC Presbyterian hospital in Pittsburgh. He suffered serious injuries, but his condition was not known this morning.

Police said the freak accident happened about 5:20 p.m. when an unidentified eastbound car struck a deer that was crossing the four-lane highway near Mushroom Farm Road. The carcass landed in the westbound lanes.

Grissom, who was headed to work at a roofing company in Butler County, was traveling west and swerved but was unable to avoid the dead deer.

His car crossed into the oncoming lane and struck the eastbound truck driven by Kenneth Crawford Jr., 36, of Fenelton, police said.

Neither Grissom nor Hicks was wearing a seatbelt.

Armstrong County Deputy Coroner Brian Myers pronounced Grissom dead at the scene. An autopsy determined he died of massive head and chest injuries.

He is survived by a wife and four children, authorities said.

Crawford, who was wearing a seat belt, did not appear to be injured, investigators said; however, he was taken to ACMH Hospital in East Franklin Township to be checked out.