2 motorcycles, SUV collide in Pennsylvania; 5 killed

A chain-reaction motor-vehicle accident has claimed the lives of several people in south-central Pennsylvania. An initial head-on wreck on a two lane road was followed by a motorcycle running broadside into a sport utility vehicle involved in the wreck. Often, an initial crash may lead to other vehicles becoming involved as the forces of a crash can send vehicles scattering in unexpected directions, making it difficult for other motorists to avoid a collision.

Authorities say that a sport utility vehicle crossed over the center line on a road in south-central Pennsylvania Saturday afternoon, leading to a horrific accident that claimed the lives of five people. The SUV first struck an oncoming motorcycle head-on before being sent into a spin.

A second motorcycle traveling in the same direction as the first slammed into the side of the SUV. Each of the bikes had two people aboard. All four people on the two motorcycles were killed in the crash. A passenger in the SUV was also killed.

All of the motorcyclists hailed from central Pennsylvania. The driver of the motorcycle involved in the initial head-on wreck was from Quarryville, Pennsylvania, while his passenger was a resident of Gap. The driver and passenger of the bike involved in the broadside collision with the SUV were residents of Mount Joy, Pennsylvania.

Authorities have not released any information on the possible relationships between any of the accident victims. It is not clear if the two motorcycles were traveling together, or whether they were just on the road at the same time and place.

It is also not clear how many people in total were riding in the SUV. However, the Franklin County coroner says that a Johnstown, Pennsylvania, woman riding as a passenger in that vehicle suffered fatal injuries in the three-vehicle accident.

Authorities have not determined what may have caused the driver of the SUV to cross the center line, as an investigation into the fatal accident continues.

The wreck was reported Saturday on Fort Ritchie Road in Washington Township near the Maryland state line. The Franklin County fatal accident scene is located around 115 miles or so southwest of Pottsville.