Yeshiva World News

Pesha Leah (Roetter) Azoulay OBM, on her wedding day.

A horrific car crash has left a 10-year-old Flatbush boy R”L dead, a newly married woman R”L dead, and the boy’s father, a Chabad shaliach in Flatbush, fighting for his life.

Sources tell YWN that the multi-vehicle-crash occurred in Western Pennsylvania, on Interstate 80 (MM 32), near the Clintonville exit in Venango County, shortly before 10:00PM Wednesday evening. The vehicle was reportedly traveling from a wedding in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

TRAGEDY: Crash Kills Son of Shliach, Newly Married Woman, BDH

Yeshiva World News

Pesha Leah (Roetter) Azoulay OBM, on her wedding day.

A horrific car crash has left a 10-year-old Flatbush boy R”L dead, a newly married woman R”L dead, and the boy’s father, a Chabad shaliach in Flatbush, fighting for his life.

Sources tell YWN that the multi-vehicle-crash occurred in Western Pennsylvania, on Interstate 80 (MM 32), near the Clintonville exit in Venango County, shortly before 10:00PM Wednesday evening. The vehicle was reportedly traveling from a wedding in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

The crash R”L killed 10-year-old Avrohom Dovid Liberow Z”L, and Pesha Leah Azouli A”H, a newly married woman from Crown Heights. The boy’s father, Rabbi Zalman Liberow is in critical condition. An occupant in another vehicle involved in the crash was killed as well, and at least one tractor-trailer was involved.

Rabbi Zalman Liberow is the Rov of the Chabad Shul located on Ocean Avenue between Avenue N & O, in Flatbush. His wife, Mrs. Chana Liberow, and 3 other children who were in the vehicle are all in stable condition B”H.

Misaskim was contacted shortly after the crash, and worked tirelessly until 3:00AM with the Pennsylvania State Police & the local Coroner to have the bodies released as soon as possible. Misaskim immediately reached out to the Pittsburgh Chevra Kadisha for their assistance in performing their Avodas Hakodesh at the scene of the crash as well.

Additionally, Misaskim has been assisting the families in Crown Heights with all necessary arrangements throughout the night. Boruch Hashem, the bodies were released to Misaskim shortly after 3:00AM, and are being transported by Misaskim back to NYC for the Levaya.

Although not confirmed, Police believe freezing rain may have caused the crash.

AP Reported:

2 From NY, 1 From Michigan Dead In Pa. I-80 Crash
CLINTONVILLE, Pa. (AP) ― A Michigan resident and two from New York have been killed in a multi-vehicle accident on Interstate 80 western Pennsylvania.

State police say the crash occurred shortly before 10 p.m. near the Clintonville exit in Venango County. Police say two westbound vehicles slid in icy conditions and crossed over into the eastbound lanes where one hit a third vehicle. Then, the second westbound vehicle rolled onto the first.

Police say the driver of the first westbound vehicle was killed. He is 66-year-old Thomas Munsell, of Ann Arbor, Mich.

Two passengers in the eastbound vehicle were killed, a 10-year-old whose name hasn’t been released and 20-year-old Pasha Azulay. Both are from Brooklyn, N.Y.

Six others, including four people in the third vehicle have been hurt.

37 Comments

  • chossid

    Baruch Dayan Emes.

    Rabbi Leiberow is truly a tzaddik, the nicest person in the world, and a truly dedicated chossid of the Rebbe.

    By the way the TV clip from a local station makes it clear that a tactor trailer crossed over the median and fell on Rabbi Leiberow’s car.

  • Rebbes Shaliach in Flatbush - Refuah She

    Refuah Sheleima for Rabbi Zalman. Please Hashem please.

  • Chossid

    Police described the accident saying that a Honda Element, driven by Thomas Munsell, and a tractor-trailer, driven by John Davis, were headed westbound on I-80. Police said both vehicles lost control and crossed over the median, striking a Honda Odyssey, driven by Rabbi Zalman Shneur Liberow. The tractor trailer then rolled over onto Munsell’s car.

  • R L

    May the Families be comforted among the mourners of Tzion and Yerushlayim and may we soon see a day when we never again have freinds and family taken from us with the coming of moshiach

  • rochie

    Boruch Dayan Haemes.. those words are truly hard to say…
    Hashem Yishmor.. there are no words.

    May we be zoche to meet them with Moshiach NOW!

  • isaac

    May the Families be comforted among the mourners of Tzion and Yerushlayim and may we soon see Moshiach

  • awacs

    Boruch Dayan HaEmes – may the injured have a full speedy recovery, and may the mourners be comforted amongst the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.

  • HEART BROKEN

    YES, IT IS PESHA LEAH FROM DETROIT! DAUGHTER OF MIRIAM (LEVY) ROETTER AND CHAIM ROETTER. MAY THEY ONLY KNOW SIMCHAS!!! PESHA WAS A VERY SWEET LADY!!!!

  • PERETZ

    This is is simply beyond words. Rav Zalman has much zechusim a chasid yiras in every way and will ensure a refuah shlaima. Kerovah for him and wife and children that are stable. He is renown for his saver ponim yofois and avodah bsimchoh. He lost his mother and sibling many years ago when he and hi whole family were involved in another terrible accident in London.his ivdu es hashem bsimchoh against all odds is an inspiration and may he continue to inspire us ad bias moshiach hayoim.Ad Mosai Ad Mosai Ad Mosai.

  • Former Detroiter

    Yes, this was Pesha Leah (Roetter) Azoulay OBM from Detroit. The Liberows and Pesha were coming back from the wedding of Yisroel Yosef Levitansky to Estee Weingarten in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

  • Rachel

    Wow! This is terrible news!! I knew Pesha from around Crown Heights. She was so sincere and loving. I can’t believe this news. I wish Pesha’s husband and the Liberows my sincere condolences. May all of Israel be comforted.

  • friend

    Pesha was a beautiful person inside and put. Very happy and would make others happy around her. She will be a loss to this world and her husband! May hashem comfort her husband and family

  • A detroiter

    Baruch Dayan HaEmes. What a shock for everyone. May Hashem comfort the families and give a refuah shelaimah to those who need it.

  • LET-S UNITE IN PRAYER

    LET’S SPLIT THE TEHILLIM FOR A COMPLETE RECOVERY FOR SCHNEUR ZALMAN BEN DOBRUSHE

    I’LL SAY 1-20

  • A Cousin

    Dear The Liberows,
    as a cousin, to you i am writing this letter from the deepest part of my heart.I am feeling for you… when i got to school, i heard mumbling about this horrifying accident. as usual i asked who? what? where? and someone replied Oh you probably don’t know them their last name is Liberow. I was about to faint. i was like where are they from???? so they said flatbush/kensington. Then i screameD THAT’S MY COUSIN! I went to sit down and thought and thought HOW CAN HASHEM TO THIS TO MY COUSINS (or even anyone).. I couldn’t keep up in class… i would picture this little boy in my mind and say how can this happen? here i am writing this letter from the deepest part of my heart, I am with you and May we ONLY share happiness of Simchas.. AMEN
    Ady

  • KALMAN ( MITZVAH TANKIST)

    BARUCH DAYAN HA EMES , WE NEED MOSHIACH NOW, MAY HASHEM COMFORT THE FAMILIES AND GIVE A REFUAH SHELAIMAH TO ALL WHO NEED IT ,

  • A Cousin

    Dear The Liberows,
    as a cousin, to you i am writing this letter from the deepest part of my heart.I am feeling for you… when i got to school, i heard mumbling about this horrifying accident. as usual i asked who? what? where? and someone replied Oh you probably don’t know them their last name is Liberow. I was about to faint. i was like where are they from???? so they said flatbush/kensington. Then i screameD THAT’S MY COUSIN! I went to sit down and thought and thought HOW CAN HASHEM TO THIS TO MY COUSINS (or even anyone).. I couldn’t keep up in class… i would picture this little boy in my mind and say how can this happen? here i am writing this letter from the deepest part of my heart, I am with you and May we ONLY share happiness of Simchas.. AMEN
    Ady

  • Shlucha of San Antonio, Texas

    that terrible i wish this never happend
    WE WANT MOSHAICH NOW!

  • CHICAGO-FORMER DETROIT

    BARUCH DAYAN HA EMES. WE ARE SO SORRY TO HEAR SUCH SAD NEWS. WE SHOULD ONLY HERE OF SIMCHAS.

  • Karine

    It is terrible!
    but as Lubavitchers, we know that we can still have an impact on those two neshamot that perished.
    PLEASE!!!!!!! take upon you another Mitsvah, one that is not so easy for you to take, so Hashem can see our efforts and pain and REALLY send Mashiach NOW!
    I dont personally know the families that were involved in the accident, but it hurts my heart as if it was my close familly because THATS what the Rebbe taught us.
    To love our fellow jew just like ourselves.

    May Hashem comfort all of us and may we merit to see the coming of Mashiach RIGHT NOW!

  • Donald Roetter

    I cannot put into words the flood of feelings that came over me when I got the news, as a father myself, as Pesha’s uncle and her father Chaim’s brother. I know how special she was to you, to the community and her family. She was a very sweet person with such a zest for life and love of our faith. This is such an enormous loss. My deepest condolences to her husband, but especially to her family.

    Baruch Dayan HaEmes

  • jim carbary

    I am reading this article from Michigan. Tom Munsell was a dear friend of mine for nearly 30 years.
    This accident is a tragedy of enormous magnitude, your loss is grieved here in our home too.