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State police at Frackville report on crashes

State police at Frackville reported investigating the following crashes in Schuylkill County:

• A crash occurred at 12:01 p.m. on Oct. 30 along Route 61 in Blythe Township. Troopers said Samantha J. Botham, 36, of Frackville, was driving a 2007 Dodge Caliber northbound in the left lane and was traveling too fast for conditions. She lost control of the vehicle with the driver’s side rear quarter panel/tire area striking a drainage culvert on the left side of the road. After impact the Caliber rolled over coming to rest facing east off the west side of the road with the front end partially in the left lane of travel.

Botham was not injured but the vehicle had to be towed. She was cited for driving a vehicle at a unsafe speed.

• A two-vehicle crash was reported at 5:35 a.m. on Tuesday along Highridge Park Road in Cass Township. Troopers said Jill M. Ostrousky, 51, of Pottsville, was westbound driving a 2002 GMC Sierra and intended to turn left onto Keystone Boulevard while Jacob A. Houtz, 27, of Ashland, was eastbound driving a 2017 Dodge Ram 1500 truck.

Ostroussky turned directly into the path of Houtz, troopers said. Upon impact the Sierra rolled over onto its left side, spun 180 degrees, and slid southwest coming to rest on its left side facing north. The Ram came to rest at the point of impact.

Ostrousky sustained a suspected minor injury and was taken to the Geisinger Medical Center, Danville. Houtz was not injured.

Ostrousky was cited.

State police at Frackville reported investigating the following crashes in Schuylkill County:

• A crash was reported at 11:48 a.m. on Nov. 1 along Interstate 81 in Mahanoy Township. Troopers said at the time of the crash it was raining and the road was wet. Clifford L. Nester, 47, of Hazle Township, Luzerne County, was northbound in the left lane driving a 2017 Kia Sportage and passing a 2018 Freightliner truck with trailer operated by Kenneth G. Creech, 57, of Garner, North Carolina. Nester lost control of his vehicle which spun clockwise into the path of Creech’s truck. The truck hit the Kia.

Nester and a passenger suffered minor injuries and were taken to the Lehigh Valley Hospital, Hazleton Campus, by Mahanoy City ambulance. Creech and his passenger were not injured. The Kia was towed.

Nester was cited for driving a vehicle at a unsafe speed.

• Troopers investigated a crash at 9:09 p.m. on Nov. 6 along Route 54 (East Centre Street), in Mahanoy City, involving a state police cruiser. Troopers said Edward J. Sanchez, 55, of Frackville, was driving a 2017 Ford Explorer police vehicle eastbound when Eric W. Bettis, 44, of Mahanoy City, driving a 2013 Chevrolet Cruze, fell asleep at the wheel while westbound. The Cruz crossed the center line entering the eastbound lane. Sanchez saw the Cruze enter his lane and was able to stop while the Cruz continued east and had slowed down before impacting head-on with the Explorer. Neither driver was injured. Bettis was cited for careless driving.