Leroy Township, PA – Matthew Barrett, 31, Ejected From Jeep and Seriously Hurt in Route 414 Crash

Leroy Township, PA (October 21, 2026) – Matthew J. Barrett, 31, of Canton, was thrown from his Jeep and seriously injured in a crash in Bradford County, state police at Towanda said. The Jeep hit a deer and was then struck by a Peterbilt truck on Route 414.

Barrett was driving a 2022 Jeep Wrangler east on Route 414, west of Rabbit Run Lane, just before 6 a.m. on October 21, police said. A deer jumped into the road in front of the Jeep and was struck.

The Jeep went briefly airborne, and when it landed it veered into the path of a westbound Peterbilt, police said. The Peterbilt struck the Jeep, swerved off the road, and hit a ditch and then a pole, according to state police.

After being struck, the Jeep rolled and Barrett was ejected, police said. He was not using a seat belt, according to the report. Western Alliance Emergency Services took him to Troy Community Hospital with suspected serious injuries.

The Peterbilt’s driver, 64, of Rome, was wearing a lap and shoulder belt and had suspected minor injuries but refused transport, police said. Both vehicles were towed, and the deer was found dead at the scene.

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

Key Legal Points After a Deer Strike and Truck Collision in Pennsylvania

According to NHTSA, 22,713 passenger vehicle occupants died in U.S. crashes in 2024, and 48 percent of those with known restraint use were unrestrained. Seat belt use is one of several questions a claim can raise after a collision of this kind.

Police have described how the crash unfolded, but who is legally responsible is a separate question. These are the points that matter most when a deer strike is followed by a collision with a truck:

• First steps: Ask that both towed vehicles be held, and request the crash report from state police. Keep every medical bill and record of missed work.
• Who may be liable: A wild deer is not someone a claim can be brought against, so the claim turns on what each driver did next. If the Peterbilt was driven for work, its carrier may share responsibility.
• Seat belts: Pennsylvania law generally bars treating a missing seat belt as contributory negligence or using it as evidence in a civil trial (75 Pa.C.S. 4581(e)).
• Insurance that may apply: Medical benefits on your own auto policy can pay bills whatever the fault (75 Pa.C.S. 1711). The truck’s commercial policy may also apply if its driver is found at fault.
• If fault is shared: A driver found 50% or less at fault can still recover, with the award reduced by that share (42 Pa.C.S. 7102).
• Deadline: Claims must generally be filed within two years, which for this crash means by October 21, 2028 (42 Pa.C.S. 5524).

Contact Our Northeastern Pennsylvania Injury Lawyers at Scartelli Olszewski

Since 2001, Scartelli Olszewski, P.C., a personal injury law firm, has represented injured people across Northeastern Pennsylvania, including Bradford County.

Our truck crash attorneys in Scranton work on crashes between deer and trucks. When a commercial truck is involved, federal safety rules and commercial insurance policies can come into play, so evidence needs to be secured early.

Our legal team builds each claim from the crash report, the medical records, and any trucking company data, then settles fairly or goes to trial. Schedule a free consultation with us.

What clients hurt in serious car and truck crashes can count on from Scartelli Olszewski:

• $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
• Free consultation and no fee unless we win
• $2,200,000 tractor-trailer accident settlement
• $650,000 car accident settlement

Visit us at 411 Jefferson Avenue, Scranton, PA 18510. Tell us what happened by calling us or sending a message through the contact form. A lawyer will explain where your claim stands.