Fern Ridge police report on crashes
State police at Fern Ridge reported on the following crashes investigated by troopers.
• A one-vehicle crash was reported at 12:23 p.m. on June 15 along Route 115 in Chestnuthill Township, Monroe County. Troopers said Joseph J. Hurst, 57, of Blakeslee, was driving a 2014 Nissan Altima northbound, just south of the intersection with Pheasant Avenue, when he swerved to the right to avoid slowing traffic ahead of him. His vehicle went off the road and struck a large rock before becoming hung up in a ditch. Hurst was not injured. The vehicle was towed.
• A one-vehicle crash was reported at 12:33 p.m. on June 15 along Drakes Creek Road, in Penn Forest Township, Carbon County, led to the arrest of the driver for driving under the influence.
Richard T. Arnold, 31, of Jim Thorpe, was driving a 2008 Ford Escape eastbound and crossed over the double yellow line and struck a pole head-on. Arnold was not injured.
• On June 17 at 1:41 p.m. a crash occurred along Gilbert Road in Chestnuthill Township. George P. Erb, 64, of Brodheadsville, was driving a 2001 Ford F350 truck northbound when he failed to maintain proper speed. The truck crossed over the centerlines and strike a tree head-on. Erb was not injured.
He was cited for the crash.
• At 1:05 p.m. on June 17 a crash occurred along Jonas Road in Chestnuthill Township. Troopers said Robert E. Brooks, 20, of Lehighton, driving a 2014 Ford van, was stopped on Jonas Road at the intersection with Toll Road. Oneil A. Romans, 26, of Brooklyn, New York, driving a 2005 Kia Sorento, lost control of his vehicle and rear-ended Brooks’ vehicle.
Brooks was injured and taken to St. Luke’s Hospital — Monroe Campus, by West End ambulance. Romans was cited for driving a vehicle at a unsafe speed.
• A crash was reported at 7:09 p.m. on Wednesday along Interstate 80 in Kidder Township, Carbon County. Dustin J. Wright, 24, of Easton, was driving a 2013 Ford E350 truck eastbound when a small animal entered the road in front of him. He steered to the left to avoid the animal. The truck hit the guide rail, knocking out 20 feet of guide rail and its supports before going down an embankment.
Wright was not injured. He was cited for the crash.
• A crash occurred at 9:53 p.m. on Wednesday along Route 534 in Penn Forest Township. Bruce W. Sears, 45, of Blakeslee, was driving a 2008 Jeep Patriot westbound when he said a deer entered the road in front of him. He slammed on his brakes and steered the Jeep slightly to the right. The Jeep left the road and struck a ditch, causing disabling damages to the front end.
Sears was not injured.
• A one-vehicle crash was reported at 4 a.m. June 13 along Interstate 80 in Kidder Township, Carbon County. Hermis Castillo, 38, of West Hazleton, was driving a 2016 Freightliner tractor with trailer westbound in the left lane in a construction zone when he lost control. The truck left the road on the left side ran into an embankment, where it overturned onto its left side.
Castillo was not injured. He was cited for driving a vehicle at a unsafe speed.
• A second crash occurred at 7:18 a.m. June 13 along Interstate 80 in Tobyhanna Township, Monroe County. Nicolae Cucovici, 32, of Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, was driving a 2004 Kenworth truck tractor with trailer eastbound and negotiating a left curve when the rig went off the road on the right shoulder, continued into a ditch when the trailer began to rotate counterclockwise. The rig then hit multiple trees and shrubbery. The trailer then overturned onto the passenger side, traveled a short distance, and came to rest.
Cucovici was not injured. He was cited for driving a vehicle at a unsafe speed.
