One person was reported to have been killed and 17 others injured in Saturday’s crash of a car into a crowd at a Pennsylvania Bar for a fundraiser benefitting families that lost their homes earlier this month in a fire that claimed 10 lives.
The police added that the driver was quickly taken into custody in connection with the beating death of his mother.
At 6.15 pm, the crash occurred in front of Berwick’s Intoxicology Department Bar. This bar was to host an all-day fundraiser for victims of the 5 Aug Fire that claimed 7 lives and injures three children in Nescopeck.
The driver of the vehicle was identified as Adrian Oswaldo Sura Reyes (24 years old), from Nescopeck by the Pennsylvania State Police. He was taken into custody on Sunday morning for two counts of criminal homicide.
According to authorities, a man was “physically attacking” a woman within a mile from the crash site.
Troopers reported Sura Reyes being arrested by local police in connection to a deceased woman.
Francis Hacken confirmed that Sura Reyes was Sura Reyes’s mother. Sura Reyes had been hit by a car, then beat with a stick.
Geisinger Medical Center officials claimed that they had treated 15 victims following the crash. Five of the victims were still in critical condition while three were in fair condition.
Seven additional patients were treated and released.
Trooper Anthony Petroski III told reporters at a midnight press conference, that Sura Remeyes was not being investigated in connection to the 5 August fire. He declined to speculate on Sura Reyes’s motives.
Petroski said that this was a tragedy in a place that has been through tragedy before. “We will investigate the incident and offer support to the family members as well as to the community. “They are already in pain. ”
Petroski said that officials have not been able to determine if the crash was intentional.
He stated, “That’s currently being investigated.” He stated, “We have interviews. We have video surveillance. We will release additional information.
SuraReyes was denied bail and was kept in a local jail while he awaited a preliminary hearing. It wasn’t immediately clear if Sura Reyes had a lawyer to speak for him.
Citizens Voice of Wilkes-Barre heard Harold Baker, one of the fundraiser participants, say that it was insane. He hasn’t even buried his children yet. ”
Penn Live reports on the deaths of Baker’s three children, and three grandchildren, in the fire that occurred on 5 August.
Friday marked the first funerals for victims of the fire. There were more funerals planned for Sunday and Monday. This fundraiser was meant to help the families of victims and their loved ones pay for funeral expenses.
The bar called the event an “absolute catastrophe” and announced on its Facebook page that it would close down the doors until further notice. It requested privacy “while we mourn the events that occurred”
A 98.5 KRZ employee was present at the scene. He tweeted: “Details still sketchy, however, there are victims. Please pray for our neighbors!
