Two seriously injured in Mahoning accident
BOB FORD/TIMES NEWS Police say the driver of this van ran a red light at the intersection of Mahoning Mountain Road and Route 443 in Mahoning Township Tuesday afternoon, smashing into the side of a pick-up truck. Both drivers were flown to hospitals in the Lehigh Valley with serious injuries.
A Lehighton man was severely injured Tuesday afternoon when his pick-up truck was T-boned by a sport utility vehicle at Route 443 and Mahoning Mountain Road.
According to a report issued early Wednesday by Mahoning Township Police Chief Kenneth Barnes, the accident happened at 1:47 p.m. as William Shipwash Sr., 67, of Pin Oak Drive, Lehighton, was driving his 1997 Chevrolet pick-up truck north on Mahoning Mountain Road. He had the green light as he crossed over Route 443 (Blakeslee Blvd. Drive East).
The driver of a 2008 Ford sport utility vehicle, James Barnett, 66, of Weldin Park Drive, Wilmington, Del., was traveling east on Rt. 443 and ran the red light, crashing into the driver's side of the pick-up truck. The impact launched the pick-up into the air, causing it to land on a guide rail.
A third vehicle, a 1997 Ford driven by Bruce Deibert, 72, of 24th Avenue South, Tampa, Florida, was also involved. Deibert had been traveling west on Route 443, when debris coming off the other two vehicles struck his vehicle, cracking the windshield. Deibert was not injured in the accident.
Both Shipwash and Barnett sustained serious injuries. Shipwash was partially ejected from his vehicle due to the impact. The drivers were flown to Lehigh Valley Hospital, Salisbury Township, and St. Luke's Hospital, Bethlehem.
Charges against Barnett are pending by the investigating Officer Audie Mertz.
Mahoning Township police were assisted at the scene by Lehighton borough police, Lehighton fire department, Lehighton fire police and Lehighton Ambulance.
Route 443 at the accident scene was shut down for about one hour.
