Tioga County, PA Fatal Car Crash Due to Alcohol Claims A Young Life

September 14, 2008 5:40 pm Jim Reed Auto Accidents

Despite all the strides that have been made toward educating young drivers about the dangers of drinking and driving it seems that all too often we read news accounts of young passengers or drivers needlessly dying due to drunken driving. A very sad example of this continuing problem is the news that a sixteen year old passenger, Stacey Lynn Crowley from Wellsboro, PA was killed on Route 287 in Pine Township, Lycoming County, PA just south of the Tioga County line.

Police were considering filing charges against a Trout Run man who was driving a pickup truck that crashed late Friday night, killing a Wellsboro High School senior who was riding in the back seat.
Stacey Lynn Crowley, 16, of Woodland Avenue in Wellsboro, died when the pickup truck she was riding in crashed along Route 287 in Lycoming County’s Pine Township. Lycoming County Chief Deputy Coroner Mark Lusk pronounced Crowley dead at the scene of the 10:12 p.m. crash in Lycoming County’s Pine Township.

Two other occupants of the 1994 Mazda pickup truck — driver Justin Sherman, 21 and Colin Campbell, 20, both of Trout Run — were listed in fair condition on Saturday at Williamsport General Hospital.

Lycoming County Coroner Chuck Kiessling said it appeared that alcohol was a factor in the crash.

“It seems like it,” Kiessling said. “But I don’t have any numbers yet.”

Kiessling said he would order an autopsy on Crowley at Lehigh Valley Medical Center in Allentown if police file charges of motor vehicle homicide against Sherman.

“I’m expecting charges to be filed,” Kiessling said Saturday afternoon. “I’m waiting to hear from the DA and the state police.”

State Trooper Sean Cooney wrote in a press release that Sherman was driving the Mazda pickup truck south on Route 287 and lost control of the vehicle. It traveled off the east side of the highway and flipped onto its left side, ejecting Crowley and Campbell, who was pinned partially underneath the vehicle, police wrote.

The lesson to be learned by all of us is simple– under no circumstances should you drink and drive!

Thanks for reading,

Jim Reed
NY and PA accident and injury lawyer
jreed@zifflaw.com

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5 Responses

Suzanne Case Says:
September 19th, 2008 at 11:05 pm
It is a sad reality that the drunk driver often feels they did nothing wrong. My daughter was involved in a drunk driving crash in January 2008; she was fortunate and suffered only cuts and abrasions on her face, two broken leg bones, surgery, permanent pins in her bone, and 3 months of physical therapy, lost wages, and the loss of her car.
The driver was arrested, appeared at a hearing that was in turn cancelled and received only probation.
This is a direct quote from the unlicensed, unbelted, speeding @ 60 mph in a 40 mph zone, driver of that car “we all make mistakes, yes i admit we got in a crash after we went to the bar, yes my bac was at .11, and yes i was over the legal limit, but i didnt feel any thing bc alot of people deal with it differently” and that friends is the reason these crashes continue to happen.
billy campbell Says:
September 24th, 2008 at 5:45 pm
ummm. this is the driver of that car… yes drinking and driving is wrong… i know… and its sad when people die from that. i have learned my lesson to never drinkk and drive again. this woman just wont leave me alone
Jim Reed Says:
September 24th, 2008 at 6:47 pm
Billy:

You have GOT to be kidding me. You drive drunk seriously injuring this poor woman’s daughter and you have the nerve to be critical of her for not leaving you alone? Were you expecting a warm hug and easy forgiveness? Did you stop to consider that your drunken act may have ruined her daughter’s life forever? Sorry but just saying you learned your lesson doesn’t necessarily make everything better….

Jim
_______________________________________
James B. Reed, Esq.
N.Y. & PA Personal Injury & Malpractice Attorney
Ziff Law Firm
303 William St., Elmira, NY 14902
Tel: (607) 733-8866
Fax: (607) 732-6062
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Email: jreed@zifflaw.com
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larenna pierce Says:
September 27th, 2008 at 10:14 pm
i feel for the family of stacey crowley my sister was only 18 and had just gave birth 2 weeks before, and was killed in a car accident, it wasnt due to drunk driving but it still hurts just as bad. im sorry for all your loses and the way people are today they need to think before they drive drinking if others are in the car and about the others on the roads. n she id right billy campbell for feeling the way she does!
serena Says:
December 2nd, 2008 at 7:32 am
i cant belive how many kids are killed in a car crash!!!