Jaindl Family Member Killed In South Whitehall Crash

Personal tragedy continues to plague Lehigh County's prominent Jaindl family, known for extensive land holdings and turkey farming.

The son-in-law of the late Fredrick Jaindl Sr. was killed Tuesday night following 

Lehigh County Deputy Coroner Paul Zondlo said James L. Leuthe, 69, of 3730 Golf Course Road, North Whitehall died following a one-vehicle accident at 10:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 29. Leuthe, a former bank executive, was married to Fred Jaindl's daughter, Catherine. 

Leuthe died seven years to the day that his father-in-law was killed in an automobile accident, according to this report.

Police said Leuthe’s vehicle struck a tree, about two blocks from the Cetronia fire department and ambulance corps on Broadway in South Whitehall. Zondlo said Leuthe was pronounced dead at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest at 11:14 p.m. The cause of death was multiple traumatic injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident, according to Zondlo, with the manner of death accidental.

The crash remains under investigation by South Whitehall police. Anyone with information is asked to call South Whitehall police at 610-398-0337.

It is the third time an automobile accident has claimed the life of a Jaindl family member.

Jaindl Sr. perished at age 76 in a March 2004 accident and his son, Fredrick  "Ricky" Jaindl Jr. was killed at age 42 in a one-car accident in North Whitehall Township on Dec. 10, 1994. 

The Jaindl family are prominent members of the Lehigh County business community, operating a turkey farm based in Orefield and a well-known land development company that is one of the largest property owners and developers in the Lehigh Valley.

Published reports say Leuthe was the founder of the former First Lehigh Bank of Walnutport and was involved in real estate development, trucking, coal reprocessing, leasing and heavy equipment manufacturing. More than a decade ago, Leuthe was reportedly penalized $250,000 and prohibited from working in a federally insured institution for unsound bank loan practices.