Man, 79, dies when van hits concrete wall

A 79-year-old man was killed Monday when his van hit a concrete wall and he was rammed by "thousands of pounds" of lawn-mowing equipment that had been loaded into the back of the vehicle, Upper Darby Township police said.

Joseph Digiuseppantonio of the 1200 block of Center Road, Havertown, was pronounced dead at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, where his passenger, James W. Harris, 47, of the Primos section of Upper Darby, was listed in fair condition.

Right before the impact, a witness heard Harris yell, "Stop the car! Stop the car!" police said.

Digiuseppantonio evidently had lost control of the vehicle, an older model Plymouth Voyager.

Police were trying to determine whether a medical issue or mechanical problem was involved in the crash, Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood said.

Digiuseppantonio and Harris operated a landscape business in the area, he said, and the cargo included one large lawn mower, at least two smaller ones, and several cans of gasoline.

Chitwood said the equipment was not secured in the vehicle, which was traveling about 30 to 35 m.p.h. when the crash occurred in the 7200 block of Bradford Avenue.

Contact staff writer Anthony R. Wood at 610-313-8210 or twood@phillynews.com.