According to court documents, the crash occurred around 1:24 a.m. on June 28, 2026, on Interstate 81 South near mile marker 125.4.
Troopers from the Frackville barracks arrived to find a Hyundai Tucson on the right shoulder after its front end struck a guide rail, causing disabling damage.
Police identified the driver as Alphonso Narciso Matos, 33, of Minersville. A PennDOT records check allegedly showed that Matos’ driver’s license was suspended.
According to an affidavit of probable cause, Matos told police that he began swerving and lost control of the vehicle because he was tired and had been drinking alcohol. He reportedly said he had consumed two alcoholic beverages at a party in Wilkes-Barre, with his last drink approximately 40 minutes before the crash.
Police said Matos showed several signs of impairment during standardized field sobriety testing and was unable to maintain his balance during portions of the tests.
Matos’ wife and their three children, ages 3, 7 and 12, were passengers in the vehicle, according to the affidavit. All four passengers were evaluated at the scene by Ryan Township EMS and released without injuries.
Police said Matos consented to a blood test and was transported to Lehigh Valley Hospital–Schuylkill, where blood was drawn around 2:26 a.m. Testing conducted by NMS Labs reportedly showed a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.163% within two hours of driving—more than twice Pennsylvania’s legal limit of 0.08%.
Matos is charged with DUI at the highest rate of alcohol, DUI general impairment, three misdemeanor counts of endangering the welfare of children, careless driving, failing to remain within a single lane and driving with a suspended or revoked license.
The criminal complaint was filed July 15 through Magisterial District Judge Edward Tarantelli’s office. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for August 5th, 2026.