Ashland, PA – 24-Year-Old Electric Scooter Rider Injured in Crash With SUV at South Eighth and Center Streets

Ashland, PA (Oct. 6, 2026) – Pennsylvania State Police at Frackville reported that Matthew J. Burke, 24, of Ashland, was injured when his electric scooter collided with an SUV. The crash happened at South Eighth and Centre streets around 3:57 p.m. on October 6.

Troopers said Burke was traveling east on the sidewalk along the south side of Centre Street. The SUV was a 2020 Ford Escape driven by a 71-year-old Ashland man. He was traveling north on South Eighth Street and preparing to stop at the intersection with Centre Street.

Police said Burke proceeded without clearance and struck the Ford Escape near its front driver’s side. After the collision, the scooter came to rest on the sidewalk along the south side of Centre Street, and the SUV remained at the point of impact. Both sustained minor damage.

Burke suffered injuries of unknown severity and was taken by Washington Fire Company Community Ambulance to Geisinger Medical Center in Danville. The driver of the Ford Escape was wearing a seat belt and was not injured.

State police reported that Burke received a written warning for driving on a sidewalk. Ashland fire companies, Shenandoah Community Ambulance, and Washington Fire Company Community Ambulance assisted state police at the scene.

This is a developing story. Details may change as the investigation continues.

Shared Fault After a Scooter Crash in Pennsylvania

PennDOT reported 1,047 traffic deaths in Pennsylvania in 2025, the lowest total since record keeping began in 1928. Even so, crashes between larger vehicles and people on scooters still raise hard questions about who caused what.

A written warning to the rider does not settle who is responsible for an injury claim. Pennsylvania follows modified comparative negligence. An injured person can still recover when their share of fault is 50% or less, and the award is reduced by that share (42 Pa.C.S. 7102).

First steps that matter: Get evaluated even if symptoms seem mild, keep the scooter and the clothing worn at the time as they are, and ask nearby businesses about camera footage before it is overwritten. Do not give the other driver’s insurer a recorded statement.

Who may be liable: The SUV driver’s liability insurer is usually the first claim, and the rider’s own auto policy is worth checking too, even though no car was being driven. An attorney can review which coverages apply.

Deadline: This crash occurred on October 6, 2026, so the filing deadline under 42 Pa.C.S. 5524 is October 6, 2028.

Questions About a Scooter Accident Claim in Schuylkill County? Talk to Scartelli Olszewski

Worried that a police warning will sink your claim? Scartelli Olszewski has represented injured Pennsylvanians since 2001. Our Pennsylvania injury lawyers handle claims against the insurers of SUV and car drivers.

We study how the crash happened and handle every call with the insurers. If an offer falls short, we are ready to take the case to court.

What Schuylkill County scooter riders get with Scartelli Olszewski after a crash with a car or SUV:

• $10,000,000 record verdict in Luzerne County
• 100+ years of combined trial experience, with hundreds of jury trials tried
• Led by Melissa A. Scartelli, Board Certified Civil Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy
• Former District Attorney and Court of Common Pleas judge Peter Paul Olszewski, Jr. on the team
• Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum members
• 4.7 Google rating across 39 client reviews, with no disciplinary history for any attorney
• $650,000 car accident settlement
• Free consultation and no fee unless we win

Our Wilkes-Barre office is at 7 Public Square, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18701. Call 570-346-2600, stop by, or use our contact form.