Road conditions blamed for crash

A slush-covered Schuylkill County roadway was blamed for a two- vehicle crash that occurred about 9:35 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 18, along SR443, just west of Church Rd., in Wayne Township.

State police at Schuylkill Haven said Ryan Muldowney, 29, of Schuylkill Haven, was westbound and Tena Blankenhorn, 45, of Pine Grove, was eastbound.

Muldowney had negotiated a left curve in the road when he lost control of his 2005 Mazda 6 due to slush and snow on the road. The vehicle began to spin and entered the eastbound lane and into the path of Blankenhorn.

The right front of the Mazda hit the left front of Blankenhorn's 2010 Ford Escape.

After impact the Mazda continued to spin and the right rear then impacted with the left rear of the Escape.

The Escape then left the road and went down a slight embankment off the south berm.

Blankenhorn was injured and taken to a Pottsville hospital, troopers said, while Muldowney was not injured. Both vehicles had to be towed from the scene.