Black Forest Broadcasting

 

PennDot says it is ready for winter weather…freezing rain caused numerous accidents this week…two area residents charged with harassment…tractor trailer wrecks in Elk County…Emporium troopers charge downstate man for DUI…..

Region

Freezing rain resulted in a number of accidents earlier this week in the region and with freezing rain in the forecast again,  the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) District 3 is advising motorists in north central Pennsylvania to be aware of changing weather conditions and limit travel if possible. The department is prepared and has sufficient amounts of salt and anti-skid on hand. Crews will be treating roads in the region during the storm and until roads are clear. Weather predictions

call for freezing rain in the morning hours which could cause potential icy conditions. Road surfaces, bridge decks and overpasses can be icy. Any travel restrictions will be communicated via variable message boards, the 511PA traveler information website at www.511PA.com and smartphone apps. Motorists can also sign up for alerts on the website. Although PennDOT crews will be treating roadways, the department’s primary goal is to keep roads passable, not completely free of ice and snow. PennDOT will continue to treat roadways throughout the storm until precipitation stops and roads are clear. While PennDOT recommends not traveling during winter storms, motorists can check conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles, including color-coded winter conditions on 2,900 miles, by visiting http://www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras.  511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional Twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA website. For more winter driving tips and information on how PennDOT treats winter storms, visit www.penndot.gov/winter. 511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional Twitter alerts. Subscribe to PennDOT news and traffic alerts in Tioga, Bradford, Lycoming, Sullivan, Union, Snyder, Northumberland, Montour and Columbia counties at www.penndot.pa.gov/District3. Follow PennDOT on Twitter and like the department on Facebook and Instagram.

McKean County

State police at Lewis Run arrested two area residents for physical harassment for a physical altercation taking place on the evening of January 6  on the Port Emporium Road in Liberty Township. Troopers listed a 21 year old Port Allegany man and a 20 year old Austin woman as both  victims and suspects and a 23 year old Coudersport man as a victim. A 2014 Chevrolet Silverado was damaged in the melee.

Tioga County

An Alba, PA driver escaped injury in an  accident  just before 4:00 am January 8 in Union Township. Authorities explained Michael Miller Jr. was going west on Ogdenburg Road downhill on a right curve when his Hyundai lost traction on the icy road, hit an embankment and rolled over twice before coming to rest right side up.

Slippery road conditions are blamed for a one-vehicle crash Tuesday morning in Richmond Township. State police report 75 year old  Roger Harkness of Troy, PA was headed west on Route 6 when his 2008 Dodge Avenger slid off the road and went into a ditch. Harkness was not hurt.

An Elkland driver was unhurt in a collision in Osceola Township also  Tuesday morning. According to Mansfield state police, Philip Greenfield was driving a 2015 Chevrolet Malibu which slid off the icy Tannery Hill road and struck a Chrysler Town & Country Minvan which was legally parked in a driveway.

Troopers did not release the names of two drivers involved in a collision later that morning in Tioga Township. A  2018 Chevrolet Cruze was parked along Route 15 for slippery conditions. A tractor trailer was trying to drive through the backlog of the crash when all other units were stopped and slid into the passenger car causing damage on the driver’s side.

Elk COUNTY

A Johnsonburg truck driver escaped injury in a weather-related accident early Tuesday morning in Highland Township. Troopers said Douglas Haupright was traveling on untreated  Route 948 when his Kenworth Northwest slid on the black ice while going downhill and ran into a guardrail for about 150 feet before stopping. The rig then went onto the right shoulder, traveled over an embankment and rolled over onto its side.

CAMERON COUNTY

DUI charges are pending against an Upper St. Clair, PA man who was stopped by Emporium patrol officers on the Sizerville Road late Sunday night for traffic violations. Troopers claim when they interviewed Jacob Polochak there “was an overwhelming odor of alcoholic beverage” inside the 2022 Chevrolet Suburban.