FISHING CREEK TOWNSHIP -- A crash site along Route 487 near Orangeville claimed the lives of two young sisters Friday morning.
State police said the girls’ mother, Amanda Haskell, 28, was driving with her three daughters just before nine in the morning when she crossed into the opposite lane.
Her minivan and a utility truck collided, and her daughters, Abigail Haskell, 8, and Charlotte Haskell, 3, were killed.
On East Third Street in Berwick, where the girls lived, neighbor Gary McKenna said he saw them playing all the time.
“So good together, they`re romping playing, you could tell it was a happy family,” said McKenna.
State police said Amanda and her other daughter, Allison Haskell, 5, were taken to Geisinger Medical Center near Danville.
“Jeffrey would walk by the girls and the wife would walk by in the summertime, they were just darling little kids, walking by, going to miss seeing them walk by all the time,” said McKenna.
Two deputy coroners who were called to the scene were overwhelmed with the loss.
For deputy coroner Wendy Statskey, this was her first time handling a child`s death.
“Can you do it? Do what you have to do and that’s what’s going through my mind,” said Statskey. “If it was my child, I can't imagine what the mom and father are going through.”
Even the first responders left the scene with a heavy heart, seeing two lives cut short too soon.
“It is much harder when you have their whole life ahead of them, but it's' hard on everybody,” said Aaron Yustat.
At last check with the hospital Friday evening, Amanda Haskell was listed in fair condition, her daughter Allison was in critical.
State police said the driver of the utility truck was not hurt.
At the time of the crash, both drivers and the eight year old were wearing seat belts; the two younger children were in booster seats.