A 66-year-old Emlenton woman suffered suspected serious injuries after a crash on Route 38 in Rockland Township two and a half weeks ago, and the 72-year-old driver walked away with only a written warning. Mariana Lazar was riding as a passenger when the crash happened around 1:11 p.m. on Oct. 26, roughly one-eighth of a mile south of the intersection with U.S. Route 322.
According to exploreClarion, citing a Pennsylvania State Police Franklin report, Lazar suffered suspected serious injuries in the crash. Community Ambulance Service transported her to UPMC Northwest following the collision, the outlet reports. No further medical update on her condition has been released.
Driver Avoided Injury, Received Written Warning
Vasile Lazar, 72, also of Emlenton, was behind the wheel of the 2015 Nissan Pathfinder involved in the crash. Police said he was uninjured and did not require medical transport, per the same report. State police went on to issue him a written warning for careless driving rather than filing charges.
Under Pennsylvania law, careless driving is defined as operating a vehicle in careless disregard for the safety of people or property, a summary offense under Title 75, Section 3714 of the state's vehicle code. The statute provides for a $250 fine if a conviction follows and the violation unintentionally causes another person serious bodily injury — though the evidence available indicates Vasile Lazar received only a written warning, not a conviction.
Rockland Township Has Seen Other Single-Vehicle Wrecks This Fall
The Route 38 crash is not the only recent wreck reported in the township. Less than two weeks earlier, on Oct. 13, a 2008 Subaru Forester driven by Jaxon M. Jerico left Kennerdell Road west of Seneca Hemlock Road, struck a ditch and embankment, and overturned onto its roof, according to exploreVenango. Jerico and passenger Ariana M. Knox suffered suspected minor injuries but refused medical care at the scene, and state police cited Jerico for failing to drive on roadways laned for traffic.
A separate rollover had occurred earlier on Rockland Nickleville Road, also in Rockland Township, at 8:36 p.m. on Aug. 22. Police said 18-year-old Jude D. Vogan lost control of a 2002 GMC after turning onto the road, and the vehicle struck an embankment and overturned onto its roof. Vogan and passenger Heather M. Vogan were uninjured and refused medical transport, and state police cited the driver for driving at an unsafe speed, exploreClarion reported in its coverage of that incident.
The three incidents were reported in or around Rockland Township this fall. Each crash involved its own set of circumstances and resulted in a separate citation or warning from state police.
