Fatal crash closed road in Muncy Township
MUNCY – On January 17, 2012 at 8:20 a.m. a deadly three-vehicle crash was reported on John Brady Drive (Route 2014). The road in Muncy Township was closed for emergency responders all morning and most of the afternoon after it happened.
The crash occurred approximately one-quarter mile east of Lycoming Mall Drive in Muncy Township, Lycoming County. Traffic was detoured while the road was closed between Lycoming Mall Drive and Lime Bluff Road.
A 47-year-old Hughesville woman was killed when her car collided with two other vehicles. The crash happened just before 8 a.m. on John Brady Drive near the Lycoming Mall.
Brenda Fried, of 157 S. Main St., was traveling east in a Hyundai Elantra about 7:40 a.m. when “she crossed the double yellow center lines” and entered the westbound lane, striking a Subaru Impreza driven by Kevin Richardson, of Allenwood, Trooper Troy F. Hendershot, the lead investigator, said. Fried’s car then struck a westbound Chevrolet Tahoe, driven by Caitlin Adams, 25, of Muncy, Hendershot said.
After the initial impact, the Subaru also struck a utility pole, police said. The wreckage covered much of the road with debris parts. The Subaru’s left rear wheel flew into the air and landed in a front yard. Part of a headlight assembly to the Tahoe landed over a slight embankment.
While Richardson and Adams were wearing seat belts, Fried was not, he said. Adams was treated at Muncy Valley Hospital for minor injuries.
Troopers said weather did not appear to be a factor in the crash, and investigators do not know what caused Fried to drift into the lane of oncoming traffic. The roads were wet but not icy at the time.
After Muncy Township volunteer firefighters and paramedics rushed to the scene, John Brady Drive was closed all morning between Lycoming Mall Drive and Lime Bluff Road. PennDOT said the road re-opened to the public about 1:30 p.m. Initially dispatchers alerted emergency responders that they were facing a grave situation. It was reported as a “head-on collision, with entrapment”. Emergency workers tried to save the victim, but there was little they could do. Lycoming County Coroner Charles E. Kiessling Jr. pronounced the woman dead at the scene, and said she died of blunt force trauma injuries.
Hendershot said Adams, seeing the initial collision, attempted to swerve from the westbound lane to north berm to avoid a collision, but was unsuccessful.