LAVELLE - A Lavelle man is listed in critical condition following a two-vehicle crash at the intersection of Route 901 and Taylorsville Road in Barry Township, Thursday.
Matthew Zweizig, 22, was trapped in his 1992 Chevrolet Corsica for 25 minutes after police said he ran a stop sign and was T-boned by an oncoming vehicle.
State police at Schuylkill Haven reported Zweizig was traveling north on Taylorsville Road at 10:55 p.m. as a 2011 Nissan Altima, driven by John Morrow III, 31, of Harrisburg, was traveling east on Route 901. State polcie said that as Morrow entered the intersection with Taylorsville Road, Zweizig failed to stop at the stop sign on Taylorsville Road, striking Morrow's vehicle. After the hit, the Corsica rolled across the westbound lane of Route 901 and came to rest on its passenger's side against a row of trees. The Altima spun counterclockwise and came to rest in the northbound lane of Taylorsville Road.
Firefighters stabilized the vehicle with wood blocks and struts, then peeled back a portion of the Corsica's roof to reach Zweizig, who appeared unresponsive. Firefighters completed extraction by sliding Zweizig through what remained of the rear window. He was taken to a landing zone established in a field behind Church of the Nazarene in Lavelle and then flown to Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, where he was listed in critical condition Friday morning. Morrow and his passenger, Nicholas Seedor, 29, of Harrisburg, were not injured in the crash.
Lavelle Assistant Fire Chief Russ Hummel said it took about 10 minutes after their arrival to remove Zweizig. He added that a passenger in the Corsica, who police did not identify, refused treatment after he was able to climb out of the vehicle on his own power.
Assisting police at the scene were Washington Fire Company Ambulance of Ashland, Shenandoah ALS, Washington Fire Company, Citizens Fire Company of Gordon, Lavelle firefighters and fire police.