Monroeville, Pennsylvania — An 88-year-old man was driving to the hospital to visit his wife when a volunteer firefighter allegedly traveling at more than twice the posted speed limit crashed into his vehicle, ultimately causing injuries that proved fatal, authorities said.
Leroy Hart was driving a gray Nissan Quest on Haymaker Road in Monroeville on Oct. 21, 2025, when he attempted to turn left onto McGinley Road. At about 6:25 p.m., his vehicle was struck by a blue Chevrolet Malibu driven by 29-year-old Broderick Balanti, according to the Allegheny County Police Department.
Balanti has since been charged with homicide by vehicle, involuntary manslaughter, careless driving and reckless driving, according to Allegheny County court records.
Police Say Firefighter Was Driving 71 MPH
According to investigators, Balanti was a volunteer firefighter who was responding to an emergency call in his personal vehicle without lights or sirens when the crash occurred.
Police said technology from Balanti’s vehicle showed that he was traveling 71 mph just one second before impact.
The posted speed limit on Haymaker Road was 35 mph, meaning Balanti was allegedly traveling at more than twice the legal speed limit immediately before the collision.
“Detectives learned Balanti is a volunteer firefighter and was responding to a call in his personal vehicle without lights and sirens,” police said.
The crash left both men hospitalized. Balanti was taken to a local hospital with serious injuries, authorities said. Hart was also transported to a hospital for treatment.
Hart Died Days Later From Crash Injuries
Hart survived the initial collision but remained seriously injured. He died on Nov. 1, 2025, days after the crash. Police said his cause of death was determined to be blunt force trauma from a motor vehicle collision.
The circumstances surrounding Hart’s final days have made the case especially heartbreaking for his family. Hart had apparently been driving to visit his wife, Monica, who was already hospitalized.
Instead, Monica ultimately found herself visiting her husband in the hospital after learning he had been seriously injured.
Wife Recalled His Final Days
Monica Hart spoke about the devastating turn of events in an interview with a regional television station. She recalled that her husband initially appeared to be doing well during the first few days after the crash.
“My husband was fine for the first three days, and then as I’m on the phone with him, or he’s not calling me, and I had to call him,” Monica Hart said.
She recalled Leroy telling her, “‘I’m in Erie,'” before she corrected him.
“No, you’re not in Erie, you’re in Monroeville, you’re at the hospital,” she recalled telling him. The reference to Erie immediately concerned her.
“I’m sitting there going, ‘Oh no, this is not good, he’s not going to recover.’ And two days later, he went after that,” she said.
Leroy and Monica Hart had been married for 56 years.
Emotional Final Moments With Her Husband
Monica also described the final moments she shared with Leroy before his death.
67-Year-Old Driver Allegedly Does Donuts Around Courthouse Lawn in Bizarre Police Video
“When I went to talk to him his last few hours, he couldn’t open up his eyes,” she recounted. She said he eventually opened one eye and squeezed her hand after she told him she loved him.
“And then he opened up one eye, and he squeezed my hand as I said, ‘I love you,'” Monica said. The couple’s decades-long marriage has added another deeply personal dimension to the tragedy.
Balanti Faces Multiple Charges
The crash has also brought scrutiny to Balanti’s driving history. Court records show that Balanti pleaded guilty in June 2025 in another speeding case, several months before the fatal collision involving Hart.
In the case involving Hart, Balanti appeared for a preliminary arraignment on Monday and is scheduled to return to court on Oct. 21. His condition was not immediately clear.
The criminal case remains ongoing, and the allegations against Balanti have not been proven in court.
For Hart’s family, however, the consequences of the October crash have already been permanent. An 88-year-old husband who was simply trying to reach the hospital to see his wife instead became a patient himself, and his injuries ultimately claimed his life.
What do you think about this tragic case? Share your thoughts and condolences for Leroy Hart and his family in the comments below.
