A woman died and multiple other people suffered injuries Wednesday morning in a multi-car crash along Interstate-78 in Allentown, Pa. that left the highway closed for hours.
The crash happened around 10:30 a.m. in the westbound lanes of the highway near Lehigh Street.
In a release issued by State Police, they say a car had pulled over to fix a flat tire and was in the process of pulling back out into traffic when it was hit by another car that proceeded to hit two other cars.
A passenger in that second car, Linda Rooney, 51 of Goshen, N.Y., died in the wreckage. Three others in the car including driver Raymond Rooney, 51; Megan Rooney and an unidentified 15-year-old were injured.
A total of four vehicles were involved in the deadly crash. Five teens in the first car were hurt including the driver Michael Lugo, 19; passenger Jose Gonzalez, 19; and three 17 year olds.
In total eight people were hospitalized -- none from the third and fourth cars hit, police said.
Traffic was halted between Exit 55 (Pa. Route 29 - Cedar Crest Boulevard) and Exit 58 (Emmaus Avenue South) for hours. As of 1 p.m. traffic remained stopped as police investigated the wreck. At 3:30 p.m. state police said the road would remain closed for another two to three hours through the evening rush.
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I-78 was reopened around 5:30 p.m.
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