Pennsylvania

3 Dead, 8 Hurt After Work Van Crashes on Route 1 in New Garden

A vehicle carrying 11 people was traveling in the southbound lanes of the Route 1 bypass near Newark Road on Wednesday shortly before 2:30 p.m. when the driver somehow lost control

What to Know

  • Three people were killed and eight others were hurt after a work van crashed on Route 1 in New Garden, Pennsylvania, on Wednesday.
  • Officials have not revealed the cause of the crash though it occurred as heavy rain fell throughout the area.
  • One of the victims worked for a temp service that loaded trucks for Herr's Snacks in Nottingham, according to a co-worker.

Three people were killed while eight others were injured after a van crashed on Route 1 in New Garden Township, Pennsylvania.

A work van carrying 11 people was traveling in the southbound lanes of the Route 1 bypass near Newark Road on Wednesday shortly before 2:30 p.m. when the driver somehow lost control.

The van crashed off the side of the highway, ejecting at least one of the passengers and trapping others.

Liking Soeung, 44-year-old Nathan Royal and 61-year-old Thomas Lopez all died in the crash. All three men were from Philadelphia.

Eight other passengers, including Lopez's nephew, were injured. Police have not yet revealed their conditions.

NBC10 spoke to Nathan Royal's sister, Jessica Royal, while she was calling hospitals to find out about her brother.

"Trying to find out if he is okay and all we know is that he was in the accident and he was on his way to work in that van," she said.

She later learned that her brother had died. Those who knew Nathan Royal said he had been working for about seven months and loading up trucks for Herr's Snacks, based in Nottingham, Pennsylvania.

Nathan Royal's friend, Clifford White, told NBC10 they worked together at a temp agency that drove them from Philadelphia to Nottingham.

"I used to be on that van so I'm going through it because I could have been on that," White said.

A spokesperson for Herr's Snacks also sent a statement to NBC10.

"It is our understanding at this time, although we have few details at this point, that this vehicle may have contained employees of a temp service we used," the spokesperson wrote. "We have no other information at this time. They were not full-time employees of Herrs, and this is all we know at this point."

Officials have not revealed the cause of the crash though it occurred as heavy rain fell throughout the area.

Route 1 southbound was closed between SR-82 and the Toughkenamon exit due to the crash. It was later reopened.

Police continue to investigate.

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