Five women from New York state, all members of the same family, were struck and murdered by a tractor-trailer on Interstate 81 in icy northeastern Pennsylvania after leaving their vehicles following another crash, stated the local coroner.
According to Lackawanna County Coroner Timothy Rowland, some of the victims were in a minivan traveling north on Interstate 81 when it lost control and slammed with a median barrier in Scott Township at 5:15 p.m. on Tuesday.
According to police, four persons got out of the van, as did a person who was following them in a second automobile.
As per Rowland, all five people were struck and murdered by a tractor-trailer driving north on the freeway.
Additional information was not immediately available.
The Pennsylvania State Police are investigating.
A winter weather advisory was in effect for the area until 4 p.m. Tuesday, with several inches of snow melting by the afternoon. The National Weather Service warned of dangerous road conditions in cold temperatures, while the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation recommended drivers exercise caution.
Janet Pohoda, a trucker who traveled in the same way hours later, told WNEP that the roads were sloppy due to snow.
“It’s sad, but I would tell them to get off the road for tonight until the roads are in better condition, you know, cleared up more,” she went on to say.