Speeder blamed for causing crash

A speeding vehicle was blamed for causing a one-vehicle crash in Schuylkill County on Tuesday.

State police at Frackville said John Bozena, 73, of Frackville, was traveling southbound in the right lane of Route 61, in New Castle Township, at 9:30 a.m. when a speeding motorist in a burgundy Nissan made a sudden pass on the left at a high rate of speed.

As the Nissan came by Bozena, he swerved to the right away from it. Bozena then lost control of his vehicle and traveled onto the right berm.

The vehicle rode up a guardrail attenuator, and its right side rode atop the guardrail for about 280 feet. The front right corner of the vehicle sheered a utility pole located just behind the guardrail. The pole fell across the southbound lane. The fiber optic lines that were attached blocked both lanes.

A witness traveling behind Bozena said the speeding Nissan was traveling an estimated 65 to 70 mph. There was no further description of the Nissan.

Neither Bozena nor his two passengers, Mary Hosavage, 91, and Martha Bozena, 77, both of Frackville, were injured.

The southbound lanes were closed for about five hours until the pole and wiring could be repaired, troopers said.