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Two Killed, One Injured When Rig, Van Collide

Police say 2 dead after Schuylkill Co. Veteran transport van slams into tractor trailer. Fog could be factor. @WNEP pic.twitter.com/nrxVBeH182 — Jackie De...
sch fatal

CASS TOWNSHIP -- Two people were killed and another critically hurt when a county van for veterans slammed into a tractor trailer in Schuylkill County.

That crash happened at the intersection of High Ridge Park Road and Keystone Boulevard.

Minersville police say a tractor trailer was making a left onto the highway when a Schuylkill County veteran transport van slammed into the trailer.

The Schuylkill County coroner says the driver of the van and a back seat passenger were killed.

The front seat passenger is being treated at Geisinger Medical Center for serious injuries.

Police say the Schuylkill County van transports veterans to and from medical appointments between Wilkes-Barre and Lebanon.

The Schuylkill County veteran transport van was on its way to the VA center in Lebanon.

The free shuttle was on its way to pick up another veteran when it slammed into that tractor trailer.

Dense fog and wet roads may be to blame for this crash in Schuylkill County.

Cass Township police say the van slammed into a tractor trailer at the intersection near Gordon.

James Metzger of Barnesville and Elaine Bradley of Tamaqua, the driver and passenger in the van -- both veterans -- died at the scene.

"Today, there were three in the van. There was actually five going, but there were three picked up at the time of the accident," said Brenda Zechman, VA director, Schuylkill County.

The van is part of a free program that gives veterans in Schuylkill County rides to and from their medical appointments.

Metzger was a volunteer driver and a Navy veteran.

Friends say he also spent a lot of time at the Salvation Army in Pottsville.

"We're overwhelmed and shocked about what happened," said Salvation Army Lt. Staci Ferreira.

Members of the Salvation Army say Metzger, known as Jim to his friends, would teach ceramics every Monday.

He was also around the rest of the week to lend a helping hand.

"If we needed him to fix the lights or whatever needed fixing, he just went and did it. He did it without complaining; he did it without us asking him to. He was just an all-around great guy to have around."

The veterans affairs director in Schuylkill County says the veterans transport program has been around since 2006. She says Metzger was a transport driver for about five years and she say, he truly loved his job.

"He was fantastic, absolutely fantastic. I feel really bad for our loss and his families lost."

Cass Township police are investigating the crash and are trying to determine if the weather was a factor.

The Veterans Affairs department for Schuylkill County says it has canceled all of the rides to the Lebanon VA center for the rest of the week.

The intersection reopened before noon.

 

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