State police at the Lehighton barracks said 10 people were injured – two seriously – in a three-car crash that happened at 8:17 p.m. Saturday at the intersection of Trachsville Hill Road and Pohopoco Drive in Towamensing Township. Police said charges of driving under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance are pending against the driver of one of the vehicles.

Seriously injured were a passenger in one of the vehicles, who police said was ejected from the car, and a second passenger in the same vehicle. Their names were not released by police, who said they were transported from the scene.

The passengers were in a 2016 Mazda CX-5 that was operated by Adam F. Rafferty, 18, of Ringoes, New Jersey. He and three other unnamed passengers suffered suspected minor injuries and were all transported from the scene, police said.

In addition to the six occupants of the Mazda, three passengers, also unnamed, in a second car involved in the crash, were all transported from the scene, as was Steven H. Serfass, 43, of Kunkletown, the driver of the third vehicle. The driver of the second vehicle, Steven R. Anthony, 30, of Lehighton, was uninjured, police said.

Police said the crash occurred when Rafferty was southbound on Berger Street and a 2017 Chevrolet Silverado driven by Anthony was turning right from Pohopoco Drive onto Trachsville Hill Road while a 2020 Ford F-150 operated by Serfass was northbound on Trachsville Hill Road.

Police said Anthony was stopped on Pohopoco Drive, facing east, and began to proceed through the intersection to turn right onto Trachsville Hill Road when Rafferty’s vehicle proceeded through the intersection and struck the Silverado, then rotated and crossed into the northbound lane of Trachsville Hill Road. Police said Serfass was unable to avoid a collision with the Mazda.

Police said after striking the F-150, the Mazda rotated counter-clockwise and the rear driver’s side tire became dislodged from the vehicle.

The car overturned and rolled onto Trachsville Hill Road. The car then traveled backwards in a southbound direction, left the southbound lane, traveled into the northbound lane and left the highway, traveling onto the eastern shoulder of Trachsville Hill Road before coming to rest in a gravel driveway.

Police said the Silverado traveled south and came to west on the western shoulder of the road while the F-150 came to rest in the northbound lane of Trachsville Hill Road.

Witnesses at the scene said seven ambulances corps from Carbon, Lehigh and Northampton counties responded to the scene, as did two medical transport helicopters and fire companies from Towamensing, Franklin and Polk townships.