Timothy Brickley, 29, of West Chester, Pa. killed in fiery crash in West Cornwall.
Chris Asroff , christopherasroff@ldnews.com 10:43 p.m. EDT October 20, 2016
Cornwall Borough Police Chief Bruce Harris (left) and Lebanon County coroner Dr. Jeffrey Yocum investigate the scene where a middle-aged man was killed in a fiery crash after his vehicle struck a tree along South Butler Road in West Cornwall Township on Thursday, Oct. 20, 2016. Jeremy Long, Jeremy Long, Lebanon Daily News
A middle-aged man was killed in a fiery crash in West Cornwall Township Thursday night.
Crews were dispatched at 6:44 p.m. to the 400 block of South Butler Road after the man's car hit a tree and caught fire.
A resident of 454 S. Butler Road, directly across the street from the crash, and a passing motorist from Mount Gretna approached the vehicle and attempted to remove the man from the car, Cornwall police Chief Bruce Harris said.
Lebanon County coroner Dr. Jeffrey Yocum said the man died on impact. Yocum also said that initial reports indicated there may have been more than one person in the vehicle, but only one was found.
Yocum said the man was from West Chester. Harris said the vehicle, a Mazda, is registered to a Chester County address. Police did not release the man's name Thursday night.
The car hit the tree while southbound on South Butler Road less than 600 feet from the Lebanon Valley Rail-Trail. The vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed, and as a result of the impact, the car's battery was found in the woods about 125 feet from the crash, Harris said.
Indicated by pieces of vehicle debris found along the road leading up to the crash site, the car may have hit something before hitting the tree, Harris said. A guy wire is damaged at the bottom of a nearby utility pole, although there is no confirmation that the damage was caused by the crash.
Police said the preliminary investigation indicated that the car ran off the road on a curve north of Old Mine Road, about 1,400 feet from where it struck the tree. Butler Road was closed for three hours in both directions between Route 117 and Old Mine Road.
Jeff Norton, a nearby resident, said that he heard the crash and came out to see the vehicle already engulfed in flames. He said the flames reached about the height of the utility wires. Burn marks were visible on the tree.
The fatality was the 13th on Lebanon County roads this year.
Lawn, Mt. Gretna, Quentin, Campbelltown and Annville-Cleona fire companies; First Aid and Safety Patrol; Cornwall Borough police; South Londonderry police; South Annville police and fire police all assisted at the scene.
==========
UPDATE: Police identify man killed in fiery crash
Updated: 1:07 PM EDT Oct 21, 2016
WEST CORNWALL TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Police in Lebanon County are investigating a crash that killed a man on Thursday evening.
Police say the driver was speeding on Butler Road in West Cornwall
Township around 7:45 p.m. when he lost control and crashed into a tree.
The car burst into flames.
"A resident who lives across the street from the crash, and a passing motorist from Mount Gretna approached the vehicle but were unable to get to the driver," police said in a news release.
The victim has been identified as Timothy Brickley, 29, of West Chester, Pa. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
"A resident who lives across the street from the crash, and a passing motorist from Mount Gretna approached the vehicle but were unable to get to the driver," police said in a news release.
The victim has been identified as Timothy Brickley, 29, of West Chester, Pa. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Fatal Accident – Occurred at 6:44 PM this evening on Butler Road between the Lebanon Valley Rail Trail and Old Mine Road. Vehicle was traveling south on Butler Road at a high rate of speed when the operator lost control, traveled off the shoulder of the southbound lane and collided with a tree. After impact the vehicle caught fire. A resident who lives across the street from the crash, and a passing motorist from Mount Gretna approached the vehicle but were unable to get to the driver. The vehicle is a Mazda registered to an address in Chester County. The driver was a male but no other information on his identity is available at this time; he was pronounced dead at the scene by Lebanon County Coroner Dr. Jeff Yocum. Preliminary investigation indicated that the vehicle ran off the road on a curve north of Old Mine Road, approx.. 1400 feet from where it struck the tree. Butler Road was closed for three hours in both directions between SR 117 & Old Mine Road. With Fire Police providing traffic control.