Tower City, PA – Pedestrian, 56, and Teen Driver Seriously Injured in Route 209 Crash
Tower City, PA (July 31, 2026) – A 16-year-old driver and a 56-year-old pedestrian suffered serious injuries in a multi-vehicle crash on East Grand Avenue in Tower City Borough, according to a Pennsylvania State Police public information release.
State police said the crash happened at approximately 2:56 p.m. on July 31, 2026, at the intersection of East Grand Avenue (SR 209) and South 6th Street.
Investigators said the teenage driver, a 16-year-old male from Sacramento, Schuylkill County, was traveling southbound on East Grand Avenue in a 2012 BMW 545i. At the same time, a 2011 Subaru Outback was attempting to turn left onto Route 209 from the Mid Penn Bank drive-thru ATM parking lot.
State police allege the BMW was traveling at a high rate of speed when it swerved into the northbound lane to avoid the turning Subaru. Police said the BMW struck the Subaru, then continued northbound and collided with three legally parked vehicles, a 2011 Toyota Tacoma, a 2019 Subaru Impreza, and a 2017 Hyundai Elantra.
The BMW then struck a 56-year-old pedestrian from Williamstown who had been walking behind one of the parked vehicles, according to police.
The teenage driver and the pedestrian both sustained significant injuries and were flown by LifeFlight to Hershey Medical Center. A 75-year-old passenger in the Subaru suffered suspected minor injuries and was transported by Tower City Ambulance to Geisinger St. Luke’s Hospital. The Subaru’s 52-year-old driver was not injured.
Pennsylvania State Police said criminal charges are pending as the investigation continues.
This is a developing story. Details may change as the investigation continues.
Being struck while walking beside a parked car changes a life in seconds. The people left behind are handling hospital transfers, lost income, and questions a police report alone will not answer.
Multi-Vehicle and Pedestrian Accidents in Tower City, Pennsylvania
When one crash involves several vehicles and a person on foot, multiple insurance carriers get involved immediately. Each of them starts building a position within days, usually before the injured people are out of the hospital.
- Who may be liable: the driver whose conduct caused the collision, a vehicle owner in some circumstances, and in a case involving a minor driver, the adult who owns or entrusted the vehicle
- What investigators examine: event data recorder downloads from the vehicles, roadway measurements and physical evidence at the scene, sight lines from the parking lot exit, and camera footage from nearby businesses
- What a pedestrian claim looks at: where the person was walking, what a driver could reasonably see, and whether the vehicle’s speed left any opportunity to stop
- What injured people should do now: get evaluated even if symptoms seem manageable, decline recorded statements to another driver’s insurer, and keep every bill, discharge summary, and repair estimate
Owners of the parked vehicles have claims too. A legally parked car struck by a moving vehicle is one of the clearest liability situations in Pennsylvania.
Fault is not decided by where someone happened to be standing. Pennsylvania applies a modified comparative negligence rule (42 Pa.C.S. § 7102), which allows an injured person to recover compensation as long as they were not more than 50 percent responsible. Walking behind a parked vehicle does not settle that question on its own.
One more detail matters in Pennsylvania. Drivers here choose between limited tort and full tort coverage when they buy a policy, and that election affects what an injured person can pursue. A pedestrian struck by a vehicle may also have coverage available through a household auto policy.
Under Pennsylvania law, you generally have two years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury claim (42 Pa.C.S. § 5524). For a crash that happened on July 31, 2026, that puts the filing deadline at July 31, 2028.
Contact Our Pennsylvania Accident Attorneys
A crash that sends two people to a trauma center an hour from home leaves families tracking hospital updates and insurance calls at the same time. You can hand the second one to us.
Our Pennsylvania car accident lawyers have handled multi-vehicle and pedestrian claims across Schuylkill, Luzerne, and Lackawanna counties since 2001. Reported results include a $650,000 car accident settlement and a $10,000,000 verdict in Luzerne County.
A pedestrian claim is proven differently than a vehicle-to-vehicle claim. Our Pennsylvania personal injury attorneys handle both, including claims by owners of the parked vehicles.
Business camera systems near that intersection typically overwrite within weeks, so footage requests and vehicle data downloads are worth starting now.
We work on contingency. No retainer, no hourly billing, no fee unless we recover.
Why Pennsylvania families trust Scartelli Olszewski:
- Millions Recovered
- Certified Trial Advocacy
- Zero Upfront Cost
- Years of Experience
Talk With a Pennsylvania Crash Injury Attorney at (570) 346-2600.
Free consultation, days or evenings, with no obligation to hire us afterward.
Disclaimer: This article is based on publicly available sources, including police reports, local news, and other public records. Details may change as more information becomes available. This article is for informational purposes only and is not legal or medical advice. No fault or liability is implied against any person or party. Any image used is for illustration only and does not depict the actual incident unless stated. If you were injured, seek medical care and speak with an attorney about your legal options.
After an accident, who you hire matters. We've spent years fighting for families just like yours – and we're ready to fight for you.
Wilkes Barre Office (Appointment Only)
Scartelli Olszewski, P.C.
7 Public Square
Wilkes-Barre, PA 18701