Hazleton, PA : A 94-year-old Hazleton woman died from injuries sustained in a two-car crash on Saturday, June 3, 2017

A 94-year-old Hazleton woman died from injuries sustained in a two-car crash Saturday afternoon in Hazle Twp.

Rose Marie Lombardo was transported from the scene in critical condition and passed away at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Hazleton, according to state police at Hazleton.

Lombardo had to be extricated from the car, in which she was a passenger. The driver, Richard H. (Mio) Palushock, 40, of Hazleton, also was taken to the Hazleton hospital and later flown to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest near Allentown for further treatment of his injuries.

The crash occurred at approximately 3:20 p.m., police said, when a car driven by Christopher Charles Ecker, 30, of Hazleton, was traveling east on Hazle Twp. Boulevard when it crashed into the rear of Palushock’s car, which also was eastbound.

The impact caused Palushock to lose control and his car spun counterclockwise, traveled across the westbound lane and onto the north shoulder, crashing into a utility pole with the passenger side of the vehicle.

Ecker was operating the vehicle without the owner’s permission, police said. He was not injured.

Lombardo was unconscious when firefighters from Hazle Twp. Fire and Rescue arrived, Assistant Chief Mike Volciak said. He said firefighters performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on her.

Palushock also was trapped inside his sedan, which sustained front and rear-end damage and had its driver’s-side door removed by first responders to extricate the occupants.

The car Ecker was driving sustained front-end damage.

American Patient Transport Systems Inc. ambulances took both victims to the hospital.

Hazle Twp. Boulevard was closed for approximately three hours as troopers investigated the circumstances of the crash, which happened on a straightaway just east of Mountain City Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, about 8/10 of a mile from Route 309.

Hazle Twp. Road Department and firefighters blocked off the crash site for the investigation.

Source :
Woman, 94, killed in Hazle Twp. crash