Wednesday, November 16, 2022

One Killed in Interstate 81 Crash in Lebanon County

One person was killed Tuesday evening in a crash on Interstate 81 in Lebanon County.

According to the Pennsylvania State Police at Jonestown, the crash occurred around 6:15pm, Tuesday, near mile marker 89.5 in Union Township.

Troopers say the crash began when Jaleika Morales-Cruz, 18, of Reading was driving a Pontiac G6 west on Interstate 78 westbound.

Morales-Cruz reportedly used the off ramp to merge onto Interstate 81 northbound and was traveling too fast for the snow/sleet conditions and lost control.  His sedan spun and traveled across the grass median and into southbound traffic.

The sedan's driver side passenger door impacted the front of a Chevrolet Equinox driven by Jamie Lyon, 39, of Falls Church Court, VA.

Morales-Cruz and two other passengers, Xander Cott, 19, and Samuel Morales-Cruz, 21 both of Reading, sustained minor injuries and were transported to Hershey Medical Center.

A 3rd passenger Santos Diaz-Colon, 37, of Reading became entrapped, succumbed to his injuries, and was pronounced deceased at the scene.