SALEM TOWNSHIP -- “It’s something I don’t even want to think about. Masses of metal coming together.”
It happened along Route 590, known as the Hamlin Highway, in Salem Township, Wayne County.
Just after 2 p.m. Monday Mike Barnett heard the sound of crushing metal.
“It was a major collision and I only arrived at the scene 10 minutes later and it was horrendous. I don’t like to see that kind of thing,” said Barnett.
Barnett says he saw three vehicles at the scene. The Wayne County coroner confirmed two people were killed: Karen Peterson, 51, and her son, Sterling Petersun, 23, (according to the coroner, Sterling’s last name was spelled differently at birth), both of Paupack Township.
Rescue workers said others were injured and taken to hospitals.
Barnett calls this part of Hamlin Highway very dangerous.
“People speed too fast around this bend and nobody knows how to slow down. They have to go, go go, and this is the end result of it,” said Barnett.
For hours, part of the high was closed as state police investigated.
Doug DiPalma volunteers for a local fire department and was there after the crash. He also owns a towing company which took the three vehicles away.
"It was one of the worst crashes we've worked in a while. It was a pretty violent crash,” said DiPalma.
Like DiPalma, Barnett says this crash site is something he won’t ever forget.
“It was nasty. It would give you probably nightmares,” said Barnett.
