Details of I81 crash released

Frank Andruscavage, Republican & Herald, Pottsville, Pa.
·2 min read

Apr. 16—Details of I-81 crash released

HEGINS — State police at Frackville released details of a Monday morning crash that shut down the northbound lanes of Interstate 81 in Foster Township for 10 hours.

Trooper Edward Sanchez said the crash happened around 9 a.m. in the area of mile marker 113.5 as Marc McDonough, 66, of Dundalk, Maryland, was driving a 2021 Freightliner Cascadia north in the right lane when a tractor-trailer in front of him approached the area where a tractor-trailer driven by Andre Johnson, 40, of College Station, Texas, was disabled on the right shoulder due to a flat tire.

A service truck was parked in front of the Johnson semi, while Mark A. Hoy, 53, of Pottsville, was assisting the disabled truck.

Sanchez said McDonough attempted to slow down when approaching the truck in front of him, but he could not slow down enough and swerved to the right, going onto the shoulder and hitting the trailer of the Johnson truck.

The impact caused the fuel tank of the McDonough rig to explode and engulf both his and the Johnson truck in flames.

Sanchez said the impact pushed the Johnson truck into the service truck, causing it to hit Hoy, who was standing in front of it, throwing him about 25 feet, causing a head injury.

McDonough was injured but managed to escape his burning truck, Sanchez said, adding that he was taken to a Pottsville hospital for treatment by Minersville EMS , while Hoy was also taken to a local hospital by Schuylkill EMS for treatment.

Sanchez said the trailer of the Johnson truck was destroyed by fire, as was the cab and trailer of the Donough truck.

The trooper said the northbound lanes of the interstate were extensively damaged, prompting the highway to be completely shut down at Exit 112 until around 7 p.m.

As a result of the crash, Sanchez said Donough was cited for driving at an unsafe speed.

Man arrested after traffic stop

HAMBURG — A Pine Grove man was arrested by state police at Hamburg after a traffic stop at Kenridge Road and Four Point Road in Bethel Township, Berks County, around 9:30 a.m. Tuesday.

Police said they stopped a vehicle driven by Kory Aungst, 39, for a traffic violation and learned he was wanted on a warrant from Lebanon County.

The man was taken into custody on the warrant and found to be in possession of drug paraphernalia, police said.

Police said they charged Aungst with possession of drug paraphernalia and turned him over to the Lebanon County Sheriff's Department on the standing warrant.