An SUV crashed into a Port Carbon day care Monday morning, punching into the building and sending the driver to a local hospital while children and staff walked away without a scratch. The wreck partially shut down Route 209 during the hectic drop-off rush as fire and EMS crews worked to free the vehicle and secure the site.
The collision happened just before 8:30 a.m. at Little Sunshines Day Care on East Washington Street, according to WNEP. Traffic was detoured while nearby departments responded and crews worked to pull the SUV out of the building.
Rescue crews extricated the driver and evacuated children
Firefighters arrived to find the driver stuck inside the damaged SUV and used rescue tools to extricate the person before transport to an area hospital, according to Skook News. Staff moved 22 children and four adult caretakers to a nearby staging area, and officials said no one inside the day care was hurt. Crews later removed the vehicle from the kitchen area, and the roadway reopened shortly after 11:00 a.m., authorities said.
How Pennsylvania law treats similar incidents
When a crash like this puts a group of people in harm’s way, prosecutors have the option to file more than basic traffic citations. The Pennsylvania Code outlines “Causing catastrophe” and related offenses and specifies that creating widespread injury or serious damage can be charged as a felony, depending on a driver’s intent or level of recklessness. The statute language is available online through the Pennsylvania Code at Justia.
Charges and the next court date
Court filings and local reporting identify the driver as 55-year-old John M. Capobianco Jr., of Philadelphia, and say investigators found evidence of drugs in the vehicle, Skook News reports. Capobianco faces one felony count of Causing Catastrophe, multiple counts of Recklessly Endangering Another Person, DUI involving a controlled substance and several traffic offenses. Bail was set at $150,000, and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 7. These are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
Aftermath and community response
The day care building sustained structural damage, and borough officials along with the center’s operators will have to evaluate the site before deciding when it can reopen. Parents and neighbors in the small borough said they were rattled by the scene but deeply relieved that the children were unharmed. Officials have urged drivers to use extra caution in the area while investigators finish their work.
