A woman driving the wrong way in the eastbound lane of Route 248 near Bowmanstown Monday afternoon resulted in an accident involving four vehicles.

Three people were injured in the accident, which occurred in Lower Towamensing Township between the Bowmanstown and Parryville exits of the highway.State police at Lehighton said the crash occurred about 3:30 p.m. on the four-lane highway.Troopers said Ruth Witherow, 81, of New Oxford, Adams County, was driving a Ford Taurus westbound in the eastbound lane. Shirley Phillips, 59, of Slatington, driving a Chrysler van, and Nadine Harbove, 56, of Whitehall, operating an Acura coupe, were both eastbound.Troopers said at this point Witherow's car collided head-on into Phillips' vehicle. Police said the impact caused Phillips' van to rotate counter-clockwise and strike the front fender of a Mitsubishi sedan driven by Brian Ellis, 32, of Palmerton, with the van's rear bumper. Harbove's vehicle sustained damage when it struck the drivers' side of Phillips' vehicle.The Ford came to rest in the eastbound lane facing west, against the center concrete divider, while the Phillips' vehicle came to rest in the eastbound lane facing east. The cars driven by Harbove and Ellis came to rest on the eastbound lane shoulder, facing east.Troopers said Witherow and Harbove were taken to the Lehigh Valley Hospital, Salisbury Township, for treatment of injuries. Troopers also said that Phillips was injured but did not indicate if she required medical attention. Ellis was not injured, troopers said.Assisting troopers at the scene were volunteers from the Aquashicola Fire Company and ambulances from Palmerton and Lehighton. Fire police from Lower Towamensing Township, Bowmanstown, and Parryville assisted with traffic control.Route 248 was closed for about 45 minutes between Bowmanstown and Parryville.Traffic was rerouted around the crash scene by fire police for a period of time.