Snowplow-Jeep Crash Claims 5 Lives
POSTED: 12:09 p.m. EST December 15, 2003
UPDATED: 12:52 p.m. EST December 15, 2003
NARVON, Pa. -- Five people were killed and three others injured when their Jeep Grand Cherokee struck a snowplow in Lancaster County Sunday.
The accident happened Sunday morning on Route 322 in Caernarvon Township, near the Chester County line.
State police said the Jeep driver apparently lost control on the ice and snow, crossed the centerline and struck the oncoming plow.
"I just happened to be looking out the window and saw this vehicle go down the hill way too fast for road conditions like that and I said to my daughter, 'That car's going way to fast. They aren't going to be able to stop,'" neighbor Shirley Siedof said.
All of the deceased and injured were in the Jeep.
Driver Henry Miller, 20, or Paradise and passengers Abner King, 17, of Leola; Christ Stoltzfus, 18, of Gordonville; Omer King, 19, of Gordonville, and Mervin Esh, 18, of Ronks were killed in the crash.
Three other people in the Jeep were injured. John Zook, 17, of Gordonville, is in critical condition.
Daniel Lapp, 19, of Ronks, and Aaron Beiler, 18, of Quarryville, are in fair condition. All are in Lancaster General Hospital.
"I ran over to the Jeep and saw there was a lot of people hurt and pretty much helped get the people who were still moving out of the way and off to the side of the road," neighbor Cliff Froggatt said.
A third vehicle rear-ended the snowplow. Neither that driver nor the snowplow driver was seriously hurt.
The accident happened Sunday morning on Route 322 in Caernarvon Township, near the Chester County line.
State police said the Jeep driver apparently lost control on the ice and snow, crossed the centerline and struck the oncoming plow.
"I just happened to be looking out the window and saw this vehicle go down the hill way too fast for road conditions like that and I said to my daughter, 'That car's going way to fast. They aren't going to be able to stop,'" neighbor Shirley Siedof said.
All of the deceased and injured were in the Jeep.
Driver Henry Miller, 20, or Paradise and passengers Abner King, 17, of Leola; Christ Stoltzfus, 18, of Gordonville; Omer King, 19, of Gordonville, and Mervin Esh, 18, of Ronks were killed in the crash.
Three other people in the Jeep were injured. John Zook, 17, of Gordonville, is in critical condition.
Daniel Lapp, 19, of Ronks, and Aaron Beiler, 18, of Quarryville, are in fair condition. All are in Lancaster General Hospital.
"I ran over to the Jeep and saw there was a lot of people hurt and pretty much helped get the people who were still moving out of the way and off to the side of the road," neighbor Cliff Froggatt said.
A third vehicle rear-ended the snowplow. Neither that driver nor the snowplow driver was seriously hurt.
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