Weather conditions can plague the roadways at any time of the year. But, as many drivers in the Pottsville, Pennsylvania, area are aware, the weather can take drastic turns at this time of the year. Freezing rain and icy conditions existed Sunday along Interstate 81 in Franklin County. Whether those conditions played a role in a tragic three-vehicle wreck is among the issues that have not been fully resolved.
Authorities say that two people were pronounced dead at the scene of an I-81 crash Sunday afternoon. A third victim succumbed to his injuries early Monday morning at the hospital. A Doylestown, Pennsylvania, man was driving a friend to meet her sister. The woman planned to stay with her sister as the Doylestown man and the woman’s husband went to Breckenridge to enjoy a skiing vacation (the husband and wife were passengers in the Doylestown man’s car). The three people were heading south on I-81 shortly after 3:00 Sunday afternoon.
Something went horribly wrong. A vehicle came bounding through the median from the northbound lanes and struck the southbound vehicle. The force of the impact sent the southbound vehicle crashing into a second southbound car. The Doylestown man and the woman, a resident of Huntingdon Valley, were killed instantly. The woman’s husband lost his battle for life around 12:45 a.m. on Monday.
Authorities say that as many as four other people suffered injuries in the three car pile-up.
The family of the couple who lost their lives together is now left with many questions unanswered, according to The Patriot-News. It is not clear why the northbound vehicle crossed through the median, as the investigation continues.
The tragic story shows how a joyous trip among friends can turn tragic at the blink of an eye. Families of accident victims can be left reeling when an accident erupts out of the blue. The emotional impact of an accident can be devastating, and when questions are left unanswered from preliminary findings after a wreck, the lack of answers can add to feelings of loss.