LGLHOOK
Member
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. — A chain-reaction accident that injured at least four people, including two state troopers, tied up the westbound Schuylkill Expressway (I-76) for hours overnight.
The tie up, which began minutes before midnight, lasted so long, some stranded motorists fell asleep and had to be awakened so traffic could get moving again shortly after 5 a.m.
The accidents began when a Chevy Tahoe driven by a Wayne woman hit a car "at a high rate of speed," ran over two large construction signs, and plowed into a state police car, which in turn struck the Ford Focus it had just pulled over, according to state police.
The state police car was then propelled into the road where it struck a Daewoo coupe, spreading wreckage over both lanes.
Trooper Jason Hope, a passenger in the police car, was trapped and had to be freed by members of the Belmont Hills and George Clay Fire Companies, police said.
Brenda Jenson, 36, the driver of the Tahoe, and Hope were helicoptered to Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, police said.
Trooper Brett Trego, the driver of the police car, was taken to HUP by ambulance.
Scott Ducko of Mount Laurel, the driver of the Daewoo, was treated at Roxborough Memorial and released.
According to police, the troopers were on the right berm with their vehicle's overhead emergency lights on, when the Tahoe hit them.
Traffic on the Schuylkill there was merging to the left because of a work zone just ahead in which the right lane was closed.
Lower Merion Township Police helped state police in closing the road and helping some motorists turn around escape the jam.
The tie up, which began minutes before midnight, lasted so long, some stranded motorists fell asleep and had to be awakened so traffic could get moving again shortly after 5 a.m.
The accidents began when a Chevy Tahoe driven by a Wayne woman hit a car "at a high rate of speed," ran over two large construction signs, and plowed into a state police car, which in turn struck the Ford Focus it had just pulled over, according to state police.
The state police car was then propelled into the road where it struck a Daewoo coupe, spreading wreckage over both lanes.
Trooper Jason Hope, a passenger in the police car, was trapped and had to be freed by members of the Belmont Hills and George Clay Fire Companies, police said.
Brenda Jenson, 36, the driver of the Tahoe, and Hope were helicoptered to Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, police said.
Trooper Brett Trego, the driver of the police car, was taken to HUP by ambulance.
Scott Ducko of Mount Laurel, the driver of the Daewoo, was treated at Roxborough Memorial and released.
According to police, the troopers were on the right berm with their vehicle's overhead emergency lights on, when the Tahoe hit them.
Traffic on the Schuylkill there was merging to the left because of a work zone just ahead in which the right lane was closed.
Lower Merion Township Police helped state police in closing the road and helping some motorists turn around escape the jam.
