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State police at Lehighton - crashes

State police at the Lehighton barracks reported the following crashes:

• A 22-year-old Lansford man is facing charges of driving under the influence of alcohol following a one-vehicle crash at 2:55 a.m. June 29 at the intersection of Eiden and Fritz Valley roads in Mahoning Township.

Police said he was driving a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado. They did not provide any further details of the crash.

• Jason L. Knappenberger, 21, of Lehighton, was injured in a one-vehicle crash at 12:43 a.m. June 29 on Pohopoco Drive, Franklin Township.

Police said he was a passenger in the vehicle and was transported by personnel from the Lehighton Ambulance Association to the St. Luke’s Hospital, Carbon Campus.

They said the crash occurred when Elliot W. Ahner, 18, of Lehighton, lost control of the 2008 Chevrolet Equinox he was driving.

The vehicle crossed over the right shoulder and continued through a front yard before stopping.

Police said the vehicle was towed from the scene, while landscaping on the property was damaged.

They said Ahner was determined to be driving under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance and was charged accordingly. He was also cited for failure to drive at a safe speed.

• Richard W. Goetzke Jr., 81, of Palmerton, and Joan Cecere, 64, of Whiting, New Jersey, had suspected minor injuries after a one-vehicle crash at 1:02 p.m. June 28 on Forest Inn Road, Lower Towamensing Township.

They were transported by personnel from the Palmerton Community Ambulance Association to the St. Luke’s Hospital, Franklin Township.

Police said the crash occurred when Goetzke, driving a 2006 Dodge Ram 1500, failed to negotiate a curve in the road and the truck swerved onto the grass on the right side of the road. The driver failed to correct the vehicle and struck a rock, traveling over it then striking a second rock before coming to rest, police said.

The Ram was towed from the scene.

• Anthony A. Recker, 63, of Palmerton, was injured in a two-vehicle crash at 2:27 p.m. June 26 on Fireline Road in Lower Towamensing Township.

Police said he was transported by personnel from the Palmerton Community Ambulance Association to the St. Luke’s Hospital, Carbon Campus, Franklin Township.

Police said the crash occurred when Recker was driving a 2018 GMC Terrain and attempted to leave his driveway in the path of a 2017 Volkswagen GTI driven west by Garrett W. Jones, 21, of Palmerton. Police said the GTI hit the Terrain. Both vehicles had disabling damage and were towed from the scene.

Police said Jones was uninjured.

Recker was cited after the crash, according to police.