ONE DEAD IN HEGINS TWP. CRASH

HEGINS - A Scranton man died when the truck he was driving crashed on Route 25 at the entrance to Camp A While campground in Hegins Township Tuesday morning.

Robert J. Taylor, 46, was pronounced dead at the scene of the 5:45 a.m. crash by Schuylkill County Deputy Corner Sandra Poletti.

The driver of the second vehicle involved - Clinton Otto, 51, of Hegins - was not injured.

State police Trooper Michael Keating of the Schuylkill Haven station said the crash happened as Taylor was driving a 2006 International 4300 truck west on Route 25 and tried to negotiate a curve in the road but lost control of his vehicle.

The truck went off the road at which time Taylor counter steered back into the westbound lane, traveled across the double yellow line and entered the eastbound where the man counter steered back into the westbound lane, Keating said.

As Taylor was trying to gain control of his truck, Otto was driving a 1995 Honda Civic east and swerved to avoid a collision with the truck causing him to drive off the road and hit a drainage ditch.

Keating said Taylor's truck continued across the westbound lane and then went off of the road, continued northeast and went up an embankment where it struck a tree.

After hitting the tree, Keating said Taylor's truck traveled back onto the road, went across Route 25 and struck a fence at the entrance to Camp A While.

Taylor's truck came to a stop facing southwest while the Otto car came to a stop facing southeast, the trooper said.

Assisting at the scene were firefighters from Hegins, Sacramento and Gratz, Pottsville-Schuylkill Haven Area EMS and Tremont EMS.

Keating said he was also assisted at the scene by other troopers assigned to the Schuylkill Haven station.

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