Virginia man killed in Lehigh crash

A Virginia man was killed and two other men were seriously injured in a crash that occurred about 1:23 a.m. on Sunday, June 27, in Lehigh County. State police at Fogelsville said the crash occurred in the area of 7401 St. Peters Road, in Upper Milford Township.

Troopers said Joseph Mark Hammer, 22, of Emmaus, was driving a 2002 Nissan Sentra eastbound and downhill in a right curve when, for unknown reasons, he traveled off the road and lost control. The car spun about 90-degrees across both lanes in a northeasterly direction. The Nissan then left the road and went across a grassy area and driveway and impacted with a tree with its passenger side rear. The car then overturned onto its roof and came to final rest against the tree, on its roof, facing northwest.

Hammer and front seat passenger Ronald James Hall, 19, of Salem, Va., were transported to the Lehigh Valley Hospital, Salisbury Township, with serious injuries, troopers said. A rear seat passenger, David Michael Hall, 22, also of Salem, was trapped in the vehicle. He was pronounced dead at the scene by county deputy coroner Kelly Gillis.

The road was closed for several hours. The investigation into the crash is continuing, troopers said.