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Dr. Lisa Vecchione
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Children's orthodontics director dies in car crash

Children's orthodontics director dies in car crash

Lisa Vecchione, the director of orthodontics at the Children's Cleft-Craniofacial Center, was killed Sunday in Ohio in a traffic accident, police said.

Dr. Vecchione, 44, of the Strip District, had worked at the center, located in Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, since 2004.

Sgt. James Faunda of the Ohio State Highway Patrol said she was headed east on Interstate 70 and was about 10 miles west of St. Clairsville when she was involved in a four-vehicle pileup shortly after 6 p.m. Sunday.

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Sgt. Faunda said Dr. Vecchione had slowed to approach a construction zone when a tractor-trailer slammed into her 2003 Mini Cooper. The impact smashed the back of Ms. Vecchione's car and forced it into the sedan in front of her, which then struck another car in front of it.

Dr. Vecchione was killed "on impact," Sgt. Faunda said. The back half of her car was wedged beneath the truck. The woman in the car in front of her was injured.

The driver of the truck, identified as George Knott, 53, of Cullman, Ala., refused to speak to police at the scene on the advice of an attorney but submitted to toxicology screening.

Police will complete their report in six to eight weeks and submit it to the Belmont County prosecutor's office, which will determine if charges will be filed.

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Sgt. Faunda said the truck driver may face a charge of vehicular homicide, a misdemeanor in Ohio.

In addition to working at Children's Hospital, Ms. Vecchione served as an assistant professor of plastic surgery at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and at the School of Dental Medicine. She also conducted research and published extensively on facial muscles in children.

"Dr. Vecchione's death is tragic. She was very dedicated in meeting the needs of her patients and their families. It's a very sad day for all of us at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC," said Christopher Gessner, president of Children's Hospital, in a statement.

Funeral arrangements were pending.

First Published: August 10, 2011, 8:00 a.m.

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