An accident reconstructionist, right, and another trooper prepare to launch a drone at crash site. As part of their nvestigation, state troopers now commonly use these devices to capture aerial photos of the scene. PHILIP HOLMES/Sun-Gazette
A Montoursville area woman riding in a car driven by her husband was killed Saturday night when their northbound vehicle and a southbound Jeep Grand Cherokee collided on Route 87 in Upper Fairfield Township, just two miles south of the couple’s home, according to state police.
Killed instantly in the crash of blunt force trauma injuries was Kathleen McFadden, 65, who was a passenger in a 2014 Chevrolet Cruze driven by her husband, Mark K. McFadden, 69, police said. The husband was initially taken to UPMC Williamsport, but has since been transferred to Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, where he was admitted with serious injuries. His condition late Sunday had been upgraded to fair, a nursing supervisor said.
As the couple was heading home, a southbound 2011 Jeep entered the northbound lane as its driver, a 17-year-old Reading boy, was attempting “to overtake” another vehicle that was also heading south, police said in a news release.
The teen “attempted to make an evasive maneuver towards the eastern shoulder as McFadden also attempted to make an evasive action” towards the same berm about 6:20 p.m., police said. The right front corners of both vehicles collided, and following the collision, the Cruze spun clockwise, landing in the northbound lane, facing east, police said. The Jeep also spun clockwise, but it continued to travel south off the berm, entering a yard where it struck a concrete culvert pipe before going airborne and striking a tree, police said.
The crash occurred just north of Kaiser Hollow Road. Montoursville firemen, several state troopers along with Lycoming County Coroner Charles E. Kiessling Jr. and a deputy coroner all responded to the scene. Kathleen McFadden’s body was taken to the forensic center at UPMCWilliamsport.
PHIL HOLMES/Sun-Gazette
The woman riding in this Chevrolet Cruze was killed when the car and a Jeep Grand Cherokee collided on Route 87 in Upper Fairfield Township on Saturday night state police said.
Both the teenage driver and a passenger in the Jeep, Sarah Anderson, 18, also of Reading, were treated at UPMC Williamsport and discharged. Police do not release the identities of juveniles (those under 18) in any of their incidents.
The crash shut down the road for nearly five hours. Volunteer fire police and the state Department of Transportation detoured motorists onto alternate routes.
PHIL HOLMES/Sun-Gazette
A 17-year-old male driver and 18-year-old female passenger, both from Reading, suffered injuries when their Jeep Grand Cherokee, shown here, and a Chevrolet Cruze collided on Route 87 on Saturday night, state police said. A passenger in the Cruze was killed.
Lycoming County Coroner Charles E. Kiessling Jr. arriving at fatal crash scene Saturday night on Route 87. PHILIP HOLMES/Sun-Gazette
Several state troopers from the Montoursville barracks were working together, investigating the fatal crash. PHILIP HOLMES/Sun-Gazette
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