MEC&F Expert Engineers : 01/17/15

Saturday, January 17, 2015

3 DIE ON WESTBOUND INTERSTATE 70 IN FALLOWFIELD, PENNSYLVANIA WHEN THEIR CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY SLAMMED INTO THE BACK OF A TRACTOR-TRAILER, THEN HIT THE MEDIAN AND CAUGHT FIRE.



3 DIE ON WESTBOUND INTERSTATE 70 IN FALLOWFIELD, PENNSYLVANIA WHEN THEIR CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY SLAMMED INTO THE BACK OF A TRACTOR-TRAILER, THEN HIT THE MEDIAN AND CAUGHT FIRE. 





January 16, 2015

Frank Kramer, his wife and daughter were on their way in their minivan to visit family in Washington County for the weekend to celebrate a late Christmas. 

When they didn't show up on time Friday night en route from their home in Middletown, Dauphin County, family members knew something was wrong. 

State police and the county coroner said Kramer, 57, his wife, Kristy, 52, and daughter, Taylor, 22, died in a fiery crash just after 9:30 p.m. on westbound Interstate 70 in Fallowfield when their Chrysler Town & Country slammed into the back of a tractor-trailer. 

“I called them both, and no one answered, so I called the state police,” said Donna Kramer, 79, of North Strabane, Frank Kramer's mother. “The officer asked me if someone in the car used a wheelchair, and I said, ‘Yes, my granddaughter.' Then the state police and coroner came to the house about 2 a.m. It's like a nightmare.” 

The minivan hit the back of a tractor-trailer driven by Yaw K. Oppong, 43, of Denver. The van then hit a median and caught fire, according to the Washington County Coroner Tim Warco. The impact pushed the tractor-trailer into another vehicle driven by Thomas E. Evans, 60, of Luzerne, Fayette County, according to state police. 

Police did not report other injuries. All three members of the Kramer family died at the scene. 

Trooper Kevin Gabrovsek said the crash is under investigation to determine what caused the vehicle to run into the back of the tractor-trailer. He said there were no skid marks that were made before the collision. 

“There didn't appear to be any evasive action,” Gabrovsek said.
Frank Kramer was a former newspaper pressman who retired for health problems, including bouts with lung cancer and kidney dialysis, his mother said. He graduated from Canon-McMillan High School before working for several newspapers in the area. 

Kristy Murdock Kramer graduated from Waynesburg High School and later Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a degree in journalism. She was working as a reporter at the former Democrat-Messenger of Waynesburg when she met her husband, who was working in the pressroom at the time. 

They later moved to Middletown and worked at a newspaper there, family said, before Kristy quit to take care of their daughter, who had disabilities from Rett syndrome and required around-the-clock care. 

“My sister was a big advocate for the Rett Syndrome Foundation and was always doing fundraisers,” said her brother, Steven “Kelly” Murdock, 54, of Waynesburg. “She really took care of my niece. My niece was really into Sidney Crosby and the Penguins. They never missed a game. 

“We had postponed Christmas from the regular time because Frank was having some health problems, so this was going to be our Christmas weekend.”
Donna Kramer said she worried that her son's recent dialysis would have made him too tired to drive. 

“I talked to him just before he left. I told him to be real careful,” Donna Kramer said. “He said he would, and then I said, ‘I love you.' He said, ‘I love you too,' and that's the last time I talked to him.”
Behm Funeral Home in Waynesburg is handling the arrangements, family members said.

DRIVER AND PASSENGER DIE IN CRASH ON I-465 ON-RAMP. THE CAR HIT TWO GUARDRAILS AND CAME TO CRASH ON THE CONCRETE BARRIER. THEY WERE WEARING NO SEAT BELTS.



DRIVER AND PASSENGER DIE IN CRASH ON I-465 ON-RAMP. THE CAR HIT TWO GUARDRAILS AND CAME TO CRASH ON THE CONCRETE BARRIER.  THEY WERE WEARING NO SEAT BELTS.



January 17, 2015, 9:12 am Updated: January 17, 2015, 8:29 pm

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – A fatal car accident occurred on Indianapolis’ west side early Saturday morning.

At approximately 5:59 a.m. Saturday morning, Indiana State Police and Wayne Township Fire Department were called to the scene of a car accident.

On arrival, police saw a 1998 Oldsmobile on the northbound on-ramp of I-465 and West Washington Street, at the 11.6-mile marker.

According to ISP, the driver of the car drove off the shoulder of Washington Street when the car hit the guard rail.

Police say the car immediately started spinning when it entered the on-ramp of I-465 northbound. It was at this time that the car then hit a second guard rail, ejecting both the driver and the passenger. The car finally came to rest on the concrete bridge over Washington Street after skidding against the guardrail.

Both the driver and the passenger were pronounced dead at the scene, their identities were not released Saturday morning.

ISP will investigate the cause.

2 YEAR-OLD BOY KILLED, AND A 56 YEAR-OLD MAN INJURED AFTER VEHICLE STALLS ON TRAIN TRACKS NEAR RIVER ROAD AND CHESTER AVENUE IN DELRAN, NJ AND STRUCK BY A NJ TRANSIT TRAIN



2 YEAR-OLD BOY KILLED, AND A 56 YEAR-OLD MAN INJURED AFTER VEHICLE STALLS ON TRAIN TRACKS NEAR RIVER ROAD AND CHESTER AVENUE IN DELRAN, NJ AND STRUCK BY A NJ TRANSIT TRAIN




DELRAN, N.J. (CBS) — A 2-year-old boy has died after a car was struck by a New Jersey Transit train in Burlington County, New Jersey.




It happened just before 4 p.m. Friday on the tracks of the New Jersey Transit River Line near River Road and Chester Avenue in Delran.




Police say a vehicle, operated by a 56-year-old man, was attempting to cross the tracks despite the signals when it got stuck and was struck by a train.




The driver and his 2-year-old grandson were rushed to Cooper Hospital where the boy died from his injuries. His grandfather remained hospitalized Saturday in serious condition. A third person in the vehicle apparently escaped serious injury.




Authorities say 75 passengers were aboard the train. Five were taken to the hospital and treated for non-life-threatening injuries.




The crash is under investigation.

A MAN WAS KILLED WHEN THE 1992 GMC RALLY WAGON, IN WHICH HE WAS A PASSENGER, LEFT THE ROAD AND STRUCK A TREE ON AUTAUGA COUNTY ROAD 40 IN ALABAMA. HE WAS NOT WEARING A SEAT BELT.



A MAN WAS KILLED WHEN THE 1992 GMC RALLY WAGON, IN WHICH HE WAS A PASSENGER, LEFT THE ROAD AND STRUCK A TREE ON AUTAUGA COUNTY ROAD 40 IN ALABAMA.  HE WAS NOT WEARING A SEAT BELT.

Posted: Jan 17, 2015 11:56 AM EST Updated: Jan 17, 2015 11:56 AM EST

AUTAUGA CO., AL (WSFA) - 

A single-vehicle crash on Friday claimed the life of a Prattville man according to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.

Jeffrey Dewayne Faulk, 34, was killed when the 1992 GMC Rally, in which he was a passenger, left the road and struck a tree. Jeffrey, who was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver of the vehicle, 51-year-old James Faulk, was transported to Baptist South Medical Center with unspecified injuries. 

The crash occurred on Autauga County Road 40, which is 20 miles west of Prattville. 

A VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING EASTBOUND ON I-70 IN TOPEKA, KANSAS WHEN IT CROSSED THE MEDIAN INTO THE WESTBOUND LANES, ENDING IN A DITCH. ONE PERSON IS DEAD AND ANOTHER IS INJURED.



A VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING EASTBOUND ON I-70 IN TOPEKA, KANSAS WHEN IT CROSSED THE MEDIAN INTO THE WESTBOUND LANES, ENDING IN A DITCH.  ONE PERSON IS DEAD AND ANOTHER IS INJURED.

Saturday, January 17, 2015

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW)-- One person is dead and another is injured following an accident on I-70 Saturday morning.

According to the Kansas Highway Patrol crash log, the accident occurred around 8:47 a.m. in Riley County near mile marker 317.5 westbound or 1.3 miles east of Deep Creek Road on I-70. The vehicle was traveling eastbound when it crossed the median into the westbound lanes, ending in a ditch.

Alexis Champ, an 18-year-old from Wichita, was driving the vehicle and was killed.
The passenger, 21-year-old Darius Person from Wayne, Michigan, was injured and taken to the hospital.

Both were wearing their seatbelts.

Around 9:30 a.m. Riley County officials sent out a notice that I-70 westbound at mile marker 317, east of Manhattan, was closed for the accident. About 20 minutes later, one lane of traffic was reopened. Around 12:30 p.m., all lanes of traffic were reopened.