Schuylkill driver dies in crash

A Schuylkill County driver was killed Tuesday morning when his car left a county roadway and landed in a creek. The incident occurred along SR54 between Girardville and Ashland boroughs.

Butler Township police identified the victim as Gary Joseph Romanot, 36, of 132 W. Ogden St., Girardville.

Police were dispatched to the scene about 7 a.m. and found Romanot's Chevrolet Blazer on its roof in the creek. Police said the crash scene indicated the vehicle rolled over several times before coming to final rest.

Police said Romanot was westbound at an apparent high rate of speed when the vehicle left the road and struck a dirt embankment ejecting him from the vehicle. When rescue personnel initially arrived they could not find Romanot, noting the driver's door of the Blazer was missing.

A search of Mahanoy Creek was made. The body was found downstream near a bridge at the entrance to an area known as Big Mine Run near the township line with Ashland borough. He was found about 9:10 a.m. and pronounced dead at the scene at 10 a.m.