2 injured
in I-78 crash
HAMBURG - Two people suffered minor injuries when the 2002 Dodge Neon they were in was involved in a crash on Interstate 78 at the bridge over the Schuylkill River in this Berks County community about 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, police said.
State police at Hamburg said Keith Maurer, 37, of Frackville, was westbound when he ran into the back of a vehicle that slowed down for traffic. Police said the vehicle that was hit continued traveling west, with its driver probably unaware that a collision occurred.
Maurer and his passenger, Amber Maurer, 29, also of Frackville, suffered minor injuries but did not require medical treatment. Keith Maurer will be cited for following too closely as a result of the crash, police said.
Sheppton woman
charged with DUI
ZION GROVE - A 40-year-old Sheppton woman is facing charges after a traffic stop on Route 4033 near Route 339 in North Union Township at 9:35 p.m. Tuesday, police said.
State police at Frackville said Francine Brestowski was in a vehicle that was stopped in the roadway impeding traffic. Police said the woman was found to be under the influence of alcohol and was taken into custody.
Brestowski was handcuffed and slipped one of her hands from the handcuffs and tried to flee, police said, adding that the woman resisted and had to be forcibly handcuffed.
Police said Brestowski will be charged with DUI, unsafe driving, DUI-highest rate and resisting arrest and will have to answer to the charges in district court.
2 women escape
injury in crash
PINE GROVE - A 49-year-old North Carolina woman and a 52-year-old Nascopeck woman escaped injury in a two-vehicle accident involving a tractor- trailer on Interstate 81 in Pine Grove Township at 3:02 p.m. Thursday, police said.
State police at Jonestown said Paulette C. Gibson, Summerfield, N.C., was driving a 2005 Kenworth T600 south on Interstate 81 when the vehicle lost a pair of tandem tires and she continued driving. The tires swiped the side of a 1989 Toyota Celica driven by Debbie K. Smith, Nasocpeck, who was driving the vehicle in the left lane adjacent to the truck, police said.
The tractor-trailer had to be towed from the scene while Smith was able drive her vehicle from the scene, police said.
Both women were wearing seat belts at the time of the accident, and Gibson was charged in the incident, police said.
Man avoids deer,
crashes car
GRIER CITY - A 24-year-old Barnesville man escaped injury when the 2008 Kia Spectra he was driving crashed on Grier Avenue, just north of Bernhard Road in Delano Township, at 9:08 a.m. Sunday, police said.
State police at Frackville said Ryan Genery was driving north when a deer entered the road, causing him to swerve and lose control of his car. The vehicle spun counterclockwise and struck an embankment on the left side of the road head-on and continued to spin before coming to a stop on the east side of the southbound lane, police said.
Woman injured
in 4-car crash
SCHUYLKILL HAVEN - A 45-year-old woman suffered injuries in a four-vehicle crash Wednesday.
State police at Schuylkill Haven said the accident occurred at 2:17 p.m. as Erech J. Noecker, 46, of Orwigsburg, was driving a 1966 Chevrolet 60 north on Route 61 in the left lane near Maheim Road, North Manheim Township, and attempted to stop behind a 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by Mario E. Nieves, 39, of New Britian, Conn., but hit the back of the Jeep. Police said the traffic ahead of Noecker's car was stopped at a redlight at Route 61 and Manheim Road.
After failing to stop in time and hitting the Jeep, police said, the Jeep hit the back of a 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt driven by Kasey Schaeffer, 19, of Orwigsburg. Her vehicle in turn hit the rear of a 2009 Hyundai Sonata driven by Allen Bainbridge, 78, of Orwigsburg, police said.
All vehicles then stopped in the left lane of Route 61 south of the traffic signal. The vehicles were all driven from the scene.
Nieve's passenger, Damarys Singh, 45, of Pottsville, was taken by the Pottsville/Schuylkiil Haven EMS to Schuylkill Medical Center-South Jackson Street for her injuries. A hospital representative said they had no record of her arrival.
All involved were wearing seat belts except for Noecker and his passenger, Erech A . Noecker, 14, police said.
In addition to state police, the Schuylkill Haven Fire Company and Pottsville/ Schuylkill Haven EMS responded.
Noecker will be cited for following too closely.