Man killed in roadside crash leaves family, community in sorrow

Chris Righi was a well-known figure in Newville, where it appeared that everyone recognized him, and he had no hesitation in engaging in conversation with anyone.

People living in the Newville neighborhood often spotted him driving through town, typically with a trailer attached to his car as he worked for his family’s business.

“Here comes Chris, roaming through Newville in his truck and trailer,” they would say, as reported by his family.

Righi, 37, was in the process of doing so on Monday night when the agricultural vehicle his father was operating experienced a loss of steering control on the 300 block of Greenspring Road in North Newton Township, approximately 100 feet away from his family’s driveway.

A queue of vehicles formed as his father’s friend got ready to tow the car, so Righi started managing traffic from the right side of the road.

Around 5:41 p.m., a 44-year-old woman from Newburg was traveling east on Greenspring Road in a compact Chevrolet SUV when she struck Righi, who was standing in the eastbound lane. This collision caused him to be thrown into the air, as reported by the Pennsylvania State Police.

Righi’s sister, Dominique Buterbaugh, mentioned that her father witnessed the accident, called her, and expressed his belief that Righi had perished. Upon arriving at the location, she observed the damaged Chevrolet approximately a quarter mile away from where he was struck. Due to the severity of the damage, she initially assumed the car had collided with a pole.

Police stated that Righi sustained several internal traumatic injuries anddied at the sceneThe driver was transported to Penn State Health Holy Spirit Hospital with slight injuries.

State authorities have not disclosed the driver’s speed or the reason she failed to notice Righi in time to avoid the incident. No legal charges have been reported.

Nevertheless, family members stated, the disabled vehicle’s flashing lights and the queue of traffic should have served as a warning to reduce speed.

We don’t understand. You see that, and you slow down automatically. That’s just what you do,” Buterbaugh said. “That’s what makes it even more difficult because it’s something that shouldn’t have occurred.

John Righi, Chris’s father, mentioned that his son’s life was lost while assisting him with work — a task Chris had regularly done with his dad for many years.

Over the past 20 years, Chris has been a huge support to me. He was always present,” said John Righi. “No matter where I look, I see his contributions or things he assisted with.

A flood of love and support for Righi in Newville prompted his family to plan a public memorial service from 1 to 3 p.m. on Sunday at the Newville Fairgrounds. They are inviting anyone who cared for him to join.

“He was well-known in this town, and people recognized him. We hope they will come out and join us in celebrating,” said his mother, Noni Righi.

Righi had a talent for starting chats with anyone, anywhere.

“Hello, how are you? What’s your name?” he often inquired, as his family mentioned. Or, “I like your shirt,” if they were wearing something with a humorous saying. This could lead to a half-hour discussion.

He took pleasure in anything with an engine, such as pontoon boats, Jet Skis, and large equipment.

“We had a zero-turn mower that he enjoyed driving around,” Buterbaugh said.

John Righi mentioned that Chris was consistently ready to give his time or possessions to those who required them more.

“If he had funds, he would spend them on whomever he was with, and it was all gone; it made no difference,” he stated.

Chris Righi was particularly keen on assisting whenever it involved spending time with his three nieces.

Two years ago during a family cruise, Righi spent more time with the girls than they did with their parents, Buterbaugh noted. He often picked them up from school to assist his sister and enjoyed watching TV or movies with them, or going bowling.

The young women informed their parents that they would miss swimming and visiting Hersheypark with him during the summer.

Chris was more like a brother to me than an uncle,” said Haley Buterbaugh, his niece. “He was always joining us on trips. He was a lot of fun and very kind.

Righi loved every opportunity to travel and was thrilled about a family vacation to Alaska this summer. He intended to visit the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco during his time on the West Coast, according to his family.

“We cherished him and will feel his absence,” Dominique Buterbaugh stated.

The Righi family is requesting that anyone attending the memorial service wear a humorous shirt. They will be showing some of his favorite television programs and films, as well as offering snacks and meals from his preferred restaurant.

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