Signs along I-78 west in Lower Saucon Township, Northampton County, exist to alert drivers to the fact that the highway’s westbound right lane ends in the area of mile marker 69.5. That’s where police say a westbound motorist’s vehicle was struck by a driver who didn’t merge left until the right lane was nearly at an end. (Credit: Google Street View)
August was a busy month for the state troopers from PSP-Belfast who patrol I-78 in Northampton County, where according to reports they responded to numerous crashes.
Several of the accidents occurred within days of each other on the portion of the highway that traverses Lower Saucon Township and involved hit-and-run drivers.
One of those crashes happened Aug. 25 around 6:20 p.m., police said, near mile marker 69.5.
At that time, a 78-year-old Gettysburg man and his 70-year-old female passenger were traveling westbound in the highway’s middle lane while another driver was in the right lane.
In the area where three westbound lanes merge into two, police said the driver who was in the right lane merged into the middle lane as the right lane was tapering to an end.
As that driver was slightly ahead of the 2016 Ford Escape being driven by the Gettysburg man, the point of impact between the two vehicles was on the Escape’s front passenger side, which police said was struck by the other vehicle’s “trailing unit.”
Police said that driver did not pull over and “fled the scene” following the accident.
The report issued by troopers did not include a description of the responsible vehicle or its driver, but police indicated that a citation for Accidents Involving Damage to Attended Vehicle or Property would be issued to the individual if he or she is identified.
Neither the man nor the woman in the Escape was injured in the crash, police said.
