Hit-and-Run Causes 5-car accident on I-78

A woman sustained “major injuries” Friday afternoon when she was involved in a five-car accident that drivers say was caused by a silver car darting in and out of traffic, according the police report.

Charisa Cherry of Trenton, N.J., had to be cut from her Nissan Maxima and then was taken to Lehigh Valley Hospital, Cedar Crest.

The accident occurred in the eastbound lane of I-78 in Upper Macungie. “A silver vehicle was changing lanes in an unsafe manner, and while moving from the left lane to the right lane, came in contact [with the a Chevrolet Equinox], the report states.

The driver of the Equinox, Alex Fermaintt, of Pottsville, pulled over to the shoulder. Meanwhile, the driver of the silver car continued down the highway, according to police, and hit a Honda Accord, driven by Lorraine Ruszcyk, of Richmond, Va.

Ruszcyk pulled into the southern berm and the silver car kept going. At this time, traffic began to slow around the scene, and that’s when the fifth driver, Robert Krome, in a Kia Optima, ran into the bumper of Cherry’s Nissan because he didn’t notice the traffic slowing down. 

The impact sent Cherry down the northern side of the highway and into a concrete median.

Cherry was the only driver injured.

Anyone that witnessed the crash or may have information about the silver vehicle is asked to call the Fogelsville station of Pennsylvania State Police at 610-395-1438.