HUGHESVILLE – A Muncy Valley area elderly man was killed last week when he lost control of his 2002 GMC pickup truck and crashed into a tree on Beaver Lake Road, about 5 miles west of his home, according to state police.

James F. Artley, 75, of 9081 Beaver Lake Road, was pronounced dead at the scene of blunt force trauma injuries following the 3:45 p.m. crash, according to the county’s Chief Deputy County Coroner Jerold Ross. He was assisted at the scene by Deputy County Coroner Jennifer Nolan.

State police Cpl. Charles T. Kindlimann Jr. said Artley was traveling east on Beaver Lake Road when he “failed to negotiate a left-hand curve. The truck traveled off the right berm, glancing first off a tree and then striking a large tree head-on.”

The vehicle traveled 16 feet down an embankment before hitting the trees, Kindlimann added. Artley was not wearing a seat belt. The crash occurred about 2 miles east of Route 220 in Penn Township.

Volunteer firefighters from Hughesville and Picture Rocks responded to the crash as did a representative from the Montoursville office of the state Department of Transportation because the crash occurred on a state road.

Volunteer fire police were able to keep one lane of the road open for about 90 minutes, but then closed both lanes to allow a tow truck operator to remove the wreckage.