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
