WEIGH SCALES - A Coal Township woman was killed in a three-car collision at the intersection of Route 61 and Overlook Boulevard on Thursday afternoon.
Doris L. Kern, 80, was pronounced dead at the scene by Northumberland County Coroner James F. Kelley. The cause was multiple blunt-force trauma.
The crash occurred about 3:30 p.m. just north of Split Vein Coal Company near Duke Heating Oil.
According to Ralpho Township police and reports from the scene, Kern was driving a Lincoln Town Car and, while turning onto northbound Route 61 from Overlook Boulevard, drove into the path of a northbound truck owned by Dan Shingara Enterprises and driven by Thomas Alai, of Elysburg.
The broadside impact sent both vehicles into the southbound lanes, where they collided with a Suzuki Vitara, driven by Melanie Guinther, of Elysburg.
Alai was transported to Shamokin Area Community Hospital before being taken to Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, according to reports from the scene.
Guinther was extracted from the Vitara after rescue personnel cut off the driver side door. She was also transported to Geisinger, where both she and Alai were each being treated in the emergency department late Thursday, according to a nursing supervisor.
Closed for 3 hours
Heavy skid marks began at the intersection in the southbound lane of Route 61, indicating the driver of the truck attempted to swerve out of the way. The impact caused deep scrapes into the road surface and left glass and vehicle parts scattered about the scene. The front end of the Town Car appeared to have been sheared off, it's steering column forced to the car's passenger side.
Route 61 was closed for three hours while the scene was investigated and cleared.
Assisting at the scene were Elysburg, Ralpho and Stonington fire departments, AREA Services and Elysburg paramedics, Northumberland County Public Safety, Coal Township and Shamokin police and PennDOT.