Deadly I-80 wreck caused by wrong-way driver, official says
A wrong-way driver died after he hit a tractor-trailer and two other vehicles were caught up in the aftermath as three of the vehicles caught fire about 6 a.m. June 28, 2016, on Interstate 80 East in Pocono Township, authorities say. (Photo courtesy Jeff Snyder)
By Tony Rhodin | For lehighvalleylive.com
on June 28, 2016 at 8:27 AM, updated June 28, 2016 at 1:16 PM
A car with New Jersey plates going the wrong way on Interstate 80 East slammed into a tractor-trailer about 6 a.m. Tuesday in Pocono Township, the Monroe County coroner said.
Traffic on Tuesday morning exits Interstate 80 East at Tannersville after a fatal crash about one and a half miles to the east. (PennDOT traffic camera) The male driver was thrown from the car and died, Coroner Bob Allen said.
It happened between the Tannersville and Route 33/Route 209 interchanges and prompted the closure of the highway's eastbound lanes.
A pickup truck and an SUV crashed after the initial impact and those vehicles along with the car caught fire, Allen said.
The truck driver wasn't hurt, but people in the SUV and pickup were transported by Suburban EMS to Pocono Medical Center, Pennsylvania State Police at Swiftwater said.
The head-on crash happened at mile marker 300.5, Allen said, exactly halfway between the Tannersville and Route 33/Route 209 interchanges. The car crossed over from the westbound lanes between mile markers 300.7 and 300.8, police said. The investigation is continuing, police said.
Because of the closure, traffic was taken off the highway at Tannersville.
While there was fog in the area, it wasn't foggy at the crash site, Allen said.
"it's a tragic accident; it makes no sense," Allen said. "I have no idea why he was going the wrong way."