WILLIAMSPORT - An elderly woman traveling in the wrong direction in the eastbound lanes of Interstate 180 was killed Sunday morning when her car and another collided near the Basin Street interchange, city police said.
And 61-year-old Fairfield Township man was killed Saturday afternoon when the Kubota lawn tractor he was using to cut his lawn toppled on him.
Killed in the 10:40 a.m. Sunday crash was Geraldine Mayer, 87, of 1015 Baldwin St., according to Lycoming County Coroner Charles E. Kiessling Jr. She was pronounced dead at the scene of multiple blunt force trauma injuries.
Her 1993 Toyota Corolla collided with an eastbound Volvo S60 driven L. Scott Shedden, 73, of Canton, police said. Riding with him was his wife, Elaine, and the couple's 20-year-old granddaughter, Lydia. All three were treated at the Williamsport Regional Medical Center and later discharged.
Police said Shedden tried to swerve but could not avoid the collision.
The crash, which occurred just east of the interchange, closed the eastbound lanes of the interstate for almost two hours.
Initially dispatched to the scene to investigate a report of a motorist traveling west in the eastbound lanes, police said the crash occurred while they were en route to investigate the report.
Police said Mayer accidentally entered the interstate, traveling in the wrong direction in the westbound lanes. It was unknown exactly where she got on, police said.
Mayer was swerving to avoid other vehicles as she was traveling half on the highway and half in the median, police said.
Lycoming County County Coroner Charles E. Kiessling Jr. said Keith Leidhecker, of 1380 Radio Club Road, was operating a tractor that for an unknown reason traveled about 250 feet and then went over a 30-foot embankment.
It was unknown if the man suffered a medical episode while operating the tractor, Kiessling said.
The tractor landed on top of him, Kiessling said, adding that a relative discovered Laidhecker about 5 p.m. He was pronounced dead at the scene of upper body trauma injuries, Kiessling said.
