A Northampton man has been charged with driving under the influence and causing a crash near Blue Mountain Resort in 2021.

According to the affidavit of probable cause filed by Trooper Matthew Lento of the Pennsylvania State Police - Lehighton barracks in the case against Justin Balkam:

At 12:29 p.m. Oct. 2, 2021, a crash occurred on Blue Mountain Drive, Lower Towamensing Township, south of the Valley Lodge of Blue Mountain Resort.

One person was flown from the scene to the hospital to be treated for her injuries from the crash which included a broken tailbone, multiple rib fractures and internal bleeding.

Lento interviewed Balkam, 22, in the back of the ambulance.

Balkam said he tried to overtake a vehicle in the southbound lane, and as he approached the right curve he didn’t see another vehicle traveling in the northbound lane.

Balkam said he was wearing his seat belt at the time of the crash, but did not tell Lento who was driving the motorcycle and car he was trying to keep up with.

While Lento was in the ambulance with Balkam, a Lehighton paramedic asked Balkam if he took any controlled substances, to which he said he smoked marijuana two hours before operating his vehicle.

Balkam was not given a field sobriety test because of his injuries, but he did consent to a blood test.

Because of the severity of the crash, a reconstruction was completed by Trooper First Class Jennifer Wieboldt, Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Specialist Unit.

Based on Wieboldt’s reconstruction, Balkam was traveling between 68 and 74 mph at the time he applied the brakes in response to the victim’s approaching vehicle.

Balkam faces charges on two counts each of aggravated assault by vehicle while DUI, aggravated assault by vehicle, and driving under influence of alcohol/controlled substance; and one count each of careless driving, disregard traffic lane, reckless driving, limitations on driving on left side of road, driving at safe speed, and operating vehicle without required financial responsibility.

Balkam is free in lieu of $7,500 unsecured bail, and scheduled to have a preliminary hearing March 8 before District Judge William J. Kissner of Palmerton.