Two people are dead and one seriously injured after two separate crashes early Friday morning on Interstate 380 in the Poconos.
The crashes shut down the interstate for more than 12 hours. The northbound lanes opened just before 5:30 p.m. The southbound lanes reopened about an hour later.
The first crash happened in the southbound lanes. The second crash was in the northbound lanes.
Around 4 a.m. two tractor-trailers and a Jeep collided on I-380 south near the Mount Pocono exit. The man who was driving the Jeep, Kyle Kelly, 23, of Pocono Summit was flown to the hospital. Officials said he is seriously injured.
A half hour later another crash happened in the same area but in the northbound lanes. A tractor-trailer and two vehicles collided and veered off the road. Two people were killed in that crash. The Monroe County coroner identified them as John Inshco Jr. and his wife, Christine, from Bucks County. State police said that one of the drivers was distracted by the crash in the opposite lane and caused the second crash.
Both northbound and southbound lanes were shut down while state police reconstructed the scene. PennDOT detoured I-380 traffic off the highway from the Mount Pocono exit to Tobyhanna.
The tragedy on the highway caused longs delays for drivers, including some heading to Pocono Raceway for the weekend race.
"This is terrible, absolutely terrible. We're ready to get to the race," said Charlie Spicer of New York.
"It's been a while since we got off at 380," said Larry Kelly of Daytona.
That was not the same situation for a vendor on the side of the road who said fewer people stopped to grab a bite to eat.
"They just won't leave, as you can see. No one will pull in my lot, ya know," said Frank Lemmo of Frank's Franks.
The crashes shut down the interstate for more than 12 hours. The northbound lanes opened just before 5:30 p.m. The southbound lanes reopened about an hour later.
The first crash happened in the southbound lanes. The second crash was in the northbound lanes.
Around 4 a.m. two tractor-trailers and a Jeep collided on I-380 south near the Mount Pocono exit. The man who was driving the Jeep, Kyle Kelly, 23, of Pocono Summit was flown to the hospital. Officials said he is seriously injured.
A half hour later another crash happened in the same area but in the northbound lanes. A tractor-trailer and two vehicles collided and veered off the road. Two people were killed in that crash. The Monroe County coroner identified them as John Inshco Jr. and his wife, Christine, from Bucks County. State police said that one of the drivers was distracted by the crash in the opposite lane and caused the second crash.
Both northbound and southbound lanes were shut down while state police reconstructed the scene. PennDOT detoured I-380 traffic off the highway from the Mount Pocono exit to Tobyhanna.
The tragedy on the highway caused longs delays for drivers, including some heading to Pocono Raceway for the weekend race.
"This is terrible, absolutely terrible. We're ready to get to the race," said Charlie Spicer of New York.
"It's been a while since we got off at 380," said Larry Kelly of Daytona.
That was not the same situation for a vendor on the side of the road who said fewer people stopped to grab a bite to eat.
"They just won't leave, as you can see. No one will pull in my lot, ya know," said Frank Lemmo of Frank's Franks.
