The Whitemarsh accident was the result of a Peterbilt truck, according to reports.
Police have released details on the six-car pile-up that occurred last week on Interstate 276, temporarily closing down eastbound lanes. The incident occurred around 3:19 p.m. Oct. 15 in Whitemarsh Township.
As covered last week by Wissahickon Now, the six-car accident involved injury, as well as two tractor trailers. Pennsylvania State Police, based in King of Prussia, responded to the scene and provided a preliminary public release on the crash.
Police said that a 2021 Toyota Corolla, driven by Andrew T. Torres, 29, of Bensalem, came to a “safe stop due to a sudden stoppage in traffic” when three additional cars also came to a safe rest behind him. However, according to reports, a 2011 Peterbilt Model 386, driven by Melvin Vargas Maldonado, 47, of Breinigsville, Pa., “failed to observe the stoppage.”
Maldonado then rear-ended a 2007 Mack Truck CTP model driven by Roland F. Johnson, 68, of Philadelphia, police said, as Johnson began to slow his tractor trailer for the stoppage with four-ways on as he did so. Police said that Maldonado “braked too late” and rear ended the Mack truck in the left lane of the eastbound route I-276.
Reports said that, due to the push from the Peterbilt, the Mack truck was then pushed into the back end of the already-stopped 2018 Nisan, driven by Jeremy J. Paul, 24, of Chesterfield, N.J., with a passenger, Thomas M. Glinka IV, 20, of Philadelphia, striking the car. This push put into motion a rather “domino effect” as the Nissan then was pushed into a 2024 BMW X3, driven by Steven A. Brun, 39, of Warwick, Pa., according to police.
Police said that, as the Peterbilt pushed the Mack in an eastward direction, the Mack then also struck a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe, driven by Michelle A. Barton, 41, of Abington. The Santa Fe then veered tight toward the middle lane of travel, out of the path of the two tractor trailers, said reports. The Santa Fe was able to move into the right shoulder after impact, police said.
Still being pushed by the Mack, the Nissan continued east in the far-left lane until it struck the center barrier wall with its driver’s side, and then struck a sixth vehicle, the Toyota Corolla, in its rear, according to reports. Police said that the Corolla vehicle came to a rest around 20 feet east of the impact point with the Nissan, facing in the east direction. Reports stated that the Nissan came to rest around 20 feet west of the Corolla, in the left lane, against the center wall, facing east, while the Santa Fe was nearly 500 feet east of the Nissan in the emergency pull-off space on the right shoulder of the Interstate at Mile Marker 337.3, facing east. Police said the BMW was around 50 feet west of the Nissan at Mile Marker 337.2 on the “skip lines for the left and middle lanes,” facing to the southwest.
Lastly, police said that the Mack truck was about 30 feet east of the BMW, in the left lane facing east, while the Peterbilt, also in the left lane, was around 100 feet west of the BMW, also facing east.
Only Johnson, the driver of the Mack truck, was transported by ambulance for injuries, according to reports. Police said that he was wearing his seatbelt, however the Plymouth Community Ambulance Association drove him to Jefferson Abington Hospital for what police suspected to be minor injuries.
According to PSP, an investigation continues, and a final crash report has not yet been released. More information will be shared as it is made available.
