Salem Township, PA – 36-Year-Old Lake Ariel Man Killed in Head-On Route 590 Crash

Salem Township, PA (August 14, 2026) – Hamlin Highway, also known as Route 590, was the site of a head-on crash late at night about 79 feet east of Goose Pond Road, Pennsylvania State Police said.

The crash happened around 11:41 p.m. A 2010 Subaru Impreza driven by Keith R. Havenstrite Jr., 36, of Lake Ariel, was traveling east in the westbound lane when it struck a 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee head-on, according to the crash report.

Havenstrite was not wearing a seat belt and suffered fatal injuries. Wayne County Coroner Edward Howell responded to the scene and pronounced him dead.

The Jeep was driven by Kevin J. Martinell, 51, of Scranton, who suffered a suspected minor injury. His passenger, Janet R. Roberts, 79, also of Scranton, suffered a suspected serious injury. Police said both were wearing seat belts. Hamlin Fire and Rescue Company took them to Geisinger Community Medical Center for treatment.

The crash report lists a primary violation of driving on the right side of the roadway for Havenstrite’s vehicle. No charges are listed in the report.

Hamlin Highway was closed for about two hours. The Ledgedale Volunteer Fire Department, Lake Ariel Volunteer Fire Company, Hamlin Fire and Rescue Company, Hamlin Ambulance, and Pennsylvania Ambulance assisted at the scene.

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

Car Accidents in Northern Pennsylvania, PA

Car accidents can leave you dealing with injuries, medical bills, and insurance calls all at once. Acting quickly in the days after a crash can make a real difference in your recovery and in any claim you may need to file:

• See a doctor promptly, even if you feel fine. Injuries like whiplash, concussions, and internal bleeding can take hours or days to show symptoms.
• Keep records of your treatment, your symptoms, and any time missed from work.
• Be careful with insurance adjusters. What you say in an early conversation can be used later to reduce what you’re owed.
• Have an attorney review any settlement offer before you sign anything.

If fault is unclear, Pennsylvania’s comparative negligence rule still allows you to recover damages as long as you’re not found more than 50 percent at fault. Pennsylvania law generally gives injured people two years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury claim (42 Pa.C.S. § 5524).

Contact Our Pennsylvania Car Accident Attorneys

If you or someone you love has been hurt in a car accident like this one, Scartelli Olszewski, P.C. can help. We’ve served Pennsylvania families since 2001, and our track record includes a $10,000,000 jury verdict, the largest of its kind in Luzerne County, and a $650,000 car accident settlement. Our Scranton car accident lawyers know what it takes to build a strong claim, from reviewing the crash report to dealing with insurance companies on your behalf.

We work on contingency, so there’s no upfront cost, and you owe us nothing unless we win for you.

If you were hurt in a crash and aren’t sure what to do next, call us. We’ll listen to what happened and walk you through your options at no cost to you.