Woman, infant land in creek following crash

A young woman and an infant escaped death Sunday afternoon when the car in which they were riding, swerved off Pohopoco Drive in Franklin Township, rolled down a 75-foot embankment, and came to rest in the Pohopoco Creek. The crash occurred about 4:30 p.m. When the car entered the water it did so upright. If it had entered the freezing waters on its roof, emergency personnel believe it may have had a tragic result. The woman was driving east just before the intersection with Old Mill Road. Her car swerved to the right taking down several steel guiderails. The car rolled down the embankment striking several trees which may have slowed it down enough to prevent it from going out further into the large creek. Lehighton firefighters responded to the scene, covering for the Franklin Township Fire Company, which was engaged in a serious crash on the northeast extension of the turnpike. Franklin fire police shut down Pohopoco Drive during the rescue operation and recovery of the vehicle. Township police are investigating the incident and were assisted by Beltzville State Park Rangers and Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission officers. Pohopoco Creek flows from the breast of Beltzville Lake.