Christmas Eve crash sends SUV rolling into ditch

Last updated: December 26, 2022 - 11:07am


Press Enterprise/Susan Schwartz A Welsh’s Towing worker prepares to two a Toyota 4Runner out of a ditch on Route 11 after the vehicle rolled Christmas Eve.

SOUTH CENTRE TWP. — A Toyota 4Runner rolled into a ditch after a car tried to do a U-turn in front of it on Route 11 Christmas Eve, the Toyota driver said.

Isaiah Murphy, 20, of Danville, said he was driving with his girlfriend, Bethany Depremo, 19, also of Danville, east toward Berwick shortly before the 7:20 p.m. accident.

As they approached Industrial Drive at 55 mph, he said, he saw a black Cadillac ahead of him in right the turning lane, appearing as if it was going to turn onto Industrial Drive, he said.

But instead, the Cadillac pulled back onto the highway and started to make  U-turn right in front of them, Murphy said,

“I had to either swerve or hit him, so I swerved,” he said.

Murphy said he tried to go left around the other car, then veered right to get back into the eastbound lane, but lost control of his vehicle.

The 4Runner spun 180-degrees, then rolled into the ditch.

Murphy said he wasn’t wearing his seat belt, so he braced himself against the inside of the car, putting his arm in front of Depremo to help her stay in her seat.

She was buckled in, he said.

The crash shattered the sunroof, he said, so they climbed out the hole it left.

The black Cadillac never stopped, he added.

Depremo was taken by ambulance to Geisinger Bloomsburg Hospital.

Susan Schwartz covers the Berwick area. She can be reached at 570-387-1234, ext. 1306, and susan.schwartz@pressenterprise.net, or followed on Twitter at https://twitter.com/PESueSchwartz.

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