Man Issued 5 Citations After I-78 Crash

A New Jersey man was issued five citations by state police following a recent crash on I-78 in Lower Saucon Township, which police said occurred after he allegedly passed traffic on the shoulder.

According to a report issued Thursday by the Belfast barracks, 19-year-old Staling Pereya-Francisco of Hackensack was traveling eastbound “at a high rate of speed” when the accident happened near mile marker 68 at around 4:45 a.m. Dec. 9.

Police said this was when Pereya-Francisco, who was driving a 2020 BMW X5, allegedly “began to pass vehicles on the right shoulder.”

As Pereya-Francisco drove on the right shoulder to pass a Honda Accord being driven by a 43-year-old East Stroudsburg man, police said he sideswiped the passenger side of the Accord.

Following the collision, police said both drivers pulled over on the highway’s left shoulder.

Both vehicles sustained disabling damage in the crash and had to be towed from the scene, the report said. However, neither driver reported being injured.

According to court records, Pereya-Francisco was issued citations for driving without a license, reckless driving, disregarding a traffic lane, speeding and careless driving.

The citations were all filed Dec. 9 in Northampton County District Court 03-2-04 in Lower Saucon Township, according to court documents.

Note: All individuals arrested or charged/cited by police are presumed innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using information from the Pennsylvania State Police, Troop M, Belfast barracks and Northampton County court records.