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Crashes investigated

State police at Lehighton reported investigating the following crashes.

• A one-vehicle crash was reported at 3:09 p.m. on Oct. 23 along Behrens Road in Penn Forest Township, Carbon County. Troopers said Melissa A. Evans, 35, of Lehighton, was driving a 2004 Honda Accord northbound when she swerved to avoid a deer on the road in front of her. The Honda went off the road and struck a tree.

Evans was not injured.

• A one-vehicle crash was reported on Oct. 26 at 9 a.m. along Queens Way, in Polk Township, Monroe County. Troopers said Robert S. Fitzgerald, 21, of Kunkletown, was driving a 2006 Ford Focus when he lost control with the vehicle striking a utility pole along the berm.

Troopers said Fitzgerald never reported the crash to any police and had the Focus towed from the scene. A witness reported the incident to troopers on Oct. 27. Troopers said Fitzgerald was contact by phone and he related the details of the crash. He was charged with immediate notice of accident to a police department. The pole was replaced by PPL, troopers added.

• A motorcyclist was injured in a crash at 12:34 a.m. Oct. 26, along Forest Inn Road in Towamensing Township, Carbon County. Justin M. Klotz, 32, of Palmerton, was operating a 2005 Harley-Davidson Sportster northbound when he failed to negotiate a right curve. The bike fell onto its left side and Klotz fell off of it. He sustained serious injuries and was flown to the Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest.

• A one-vehicle crash was reported at 11:19 p.m. Oct. 30 along Hahns Dairy Road in Lower Towamensing Township, Carbon County. George M. Cumbe, 18, of Allentown, was driving a 2005 Acura eastbound around a sharp right curve when a deer entered the road. Cumbe swerved to avoid the deer. The Acura went onto the berm and struck an embankment and tree before coming to rest.

Cumbe was not injured. The Acura was towed from the scene.

• A deer entering a Monroe County road was the cause of a two-vehicle crash on Oct. 23. State police at Lehighton said the crash occurred at 7:02 a.m. along Silver Spring Boulevard in Eldred Township.

Troopers said Christopher E. Ellis, 37, of Effort, was driving a 2006 Kia Spectra northbound when a deer crossed the road in front of him. The Kia struck the deer, Ellis then swerved his vehicle which entered the southbound lane and struck a 2016 Mazda CX-5 driven by Lisa J. Giuliano, 55, of Brodheadsville.

Ellis was treated at the scene by West End ambulance personnel and then transported to the Lehigh Valley Hospital, Cedar Crest. Giuliano complained of knee pain and was transported to St. Luke’s Monroe Campus for further evaluation. Both vehicles had to be towed.

• A two-vehicle crash happened at 6:04 a.m. Oct. 23, along Maury Road, near 903 in Penn Forest Township, Carbon County.

Troopers said Michael A. Choy, 40, of Palmerton, was driving a 2012 Volkswagen Jetta westbound and approaching a stop sign on Harrity Road, at its intersection with Route 903. Everett R. Thompson, 63, of Summit Hill, was northbound on 903 driving a 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt. Choy failed to stop at the stop sign and entered the intersection with his vehicle colliding with Thompson’s vehicle. Choy and Thompson sustained suspected minor injuries and were treated at the scene by Lehighton EMS personnel. Both vehicles had to be towed.

Troopers cited Choy for a stop sign violation.

• A three-vehicle crash occurred at 11:58 a.m. on Oct. 31 along Route 209 at the intersection with HTY Road in Polk Township, Monroe County.

Troopers said Gary E. Newhard, 59, of Palmerton, and Bernerd J. Newhard, 87, of Jim Thorpe, were both northbound when Bernerd Newhard had to suddenly slow down for traffic ahead of him. Gary Newhard applied his brakes but due to weather conditions could not stop. The front of his 1998 Ford Ranger truck hit the rear of Bernerd Newhard’s 2002 Dodge Ram 1500 truck. The Ranger entered the southbound lane and struck a 2008 Ford Explorer driven by Matthew Higgins, 55, of Kunkletown.

No one was injured. The Ford and Dodge had to be towed from the scene. Gary Newhard was cited for the crash.