A teen and a toddler were killed Monday in a three-vehicle crash on Route 222 in Berks County, authorities said.
The 19-year-old woman and 19-month-old girl were killed in the crash at 10:50 a.m. near the Kutztown Road overpass in Richmond Township, according to a news release from the Fleetwood Borough Police Department.
They were both from Columbia, Lancaster County, the release says. They were passengers in a Nissan Versa, along with a 7-year-old boy and a 27-year-old female driver from Pottsville, both of whom were seriously hurt, the release says.
The 27-year-old was driving south on Route 222 when she rounded a curve, crossed the median and collided head-on with a Jeep Grand Cherokee, according to police. Three of the four occupants were thrown from the Versa when it went over the railing and landed beneath the overpass, police said.
It’s unclear what caused the crash, police said.
After that, the Jeep was struck by a tractor-trailer in the northbound lanes of Route 222, police said. The Jeep driver suffered minor injuries and the tractor-trailer driver was unhurt, police said. Both the Versa and Jeep were totaled, police said.
The 19-month-old was pronounced dead at 1:24 p.m. Monday at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest in Salisbury Township, according to a news release from the Lehigh County Coroner. An autopsy is planned for Wednesday to determine cause and manner of death.
The Virginville and Walnuttown fire companies responded to the crash, police said. Berks County forensics and crash team members assisted at the scene. Topton Ambulance took patients to Lehigh Valley Hospital, police said. Northern Berks EMS assisted at the scene, police said.
Monday’s accident remains under investigation by the Fleetwood Police Department and the Lehigh County Coroner’s Office.
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