News

Traffic was at a standstill on I-81 for more than 4 hours Md. woman killed after her car slams into a truck

February 11, 2008

1 dead in massive pileup

About 50 vehicles crash in whiteout, snow squalls on I-81 near Hazleton.

By Sheena Delazio sdelazio@timesleader.com
Staff Writer
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HAZLETON -- Snow squalls and whiteout conditions in the Hazleton area brought Interstate 81 traffic to a halt for more than four hours Sunday when dozens of vehicles were involved in a massive chain-reaction crash that left one Maryland woman dead.

The crash, which police said involved “multi-multi” vehicles, occurred at about 2:30 p.m. Sunday in the northbound lanes near the Arthur Gardner Highway and Route 424 exits, and involved at least 50 vehicles, including some tractor-trailers.

Authorities said 19 people were taken to Hazleton General Hospital. Two were hospitalized, one was still being treated at press time and the rest were treated and released, Hazle Township Fire & Rescue Co. Chief Scott Kostician said.

Kostician said his department counted 68 vehicles involved in the pileup.

Luzerne County Coroner John Corcoran said Teresa S. Colin Berrocal, 24, of Bowie, Md., died as a result of the accident after her 2003 Mitsubishi slammed into a tractor-trailer that was involved in an accident a few minutes earlier. Corcoran said no charges will be filed.

“The accidents were just awful,” Corcoran said. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Other motorists waiting in traffic after the pileup echoed Corcoran, saying it was the worst accident they’ve ever seen.

Police said accident victims were being transported from the scene by the American Red Cross to a shelter for food and warmth. Other emergency workers were bringing gasoline to the dozens of motorists struck in traffic.

Traffic was rerouted to routes 309, 93 and 924 during the closure of the interstate, causing traffic tie-ups in other areas in and around Hazleton.

“There (were) more people working and more tow trucks than I’ve ever seen,” said state police Sgt. Robert Castner of the Hazleton barracks. “It’s a lot of work.”

Castner said crews were working diligently for more than four hours to clear the interstate. The northbound lanes were reopened by 8 p.m. Southbound lanes opened about two hours earlier.

Initial reports about the crash said a tanker carrying hydrogen peroxide overturned on the interstate, but John Ankenbrand, acting deputy coordinator for Luzerne County Emergency Management, said the tanker did not breach or leak.

“Thankfully, the tanker was secured,” Ankenbrand said.

According to the National Weather Service at Binghamton, N.Y., warnings for snow squalls and whiteouts ended Sunday night, but a wind chill advisory will be in effect until 10 a.m. today. Temperatures are expected to fall between zero and 5 degrees by this morning. Strong winds of 15 to 25 mph are also expected.

Dozens of emergency crews from Luzerne and Schuylkill counties, as well as the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, the American Red Cross and the Hazleton Police Department assisted state police at the scene.

The conditions of those taken to the hospital after the crash were not known at press time.

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