New York Woman Killed in Pa., Car Crash

By Alicia Cruz
The Black Urban Times

With his hands cuffed, he covered his face as he was led into Stroud Township district court for a preliminary arraignment on vehicular homicide charges after a fatal car crash in Stroud Township that claimed the life of a 50-year-old woman from New York City Thursday, The Pocono Record reported.

William E. Blackburn, 52, of Rochester Hills, Michigan was driving the tractor-trailer that police say caused a six vehicle car crash on Route 209 at Shafers Schoolhouse Road.

According to a police affidavit, witnesses say four cars were stopped at a red light in the northbound lane of Route 209 when Blackburn's northbound tractor-trailer, traveling at a high rate of speed, approached the four cars from behind in the right lane rear-ending a Mini Cooper driven by Susan Erben.

The impact pushed the Mini Cooper into the back of a Chevy Corvette driven by Enrique Guttin of Wilmington, Delaware, which sent the vehicle across the intersection into a guardrail on Shafers Schoolhouse Road.

The Corvette was then pushed into the left lane and hit a Chrysler 300 driven by Charles Wagner of Sciota. Witnesses say the tractor-trailer continued on where it rear-ended a Hyundai Santa Fe with Shiela Chelnik of East Stroudsburg and passenger Brett Chelnik inside, pushing the Hyundai into the intersection.

The tractor-trailer then veered off the road into a traffic signal pole and a guardrail at the eastern side of the intersection where it burst into flames. The traffic signal pole then toppled over and came to rest upon the Hyundai, crushing it.

Witnesses say Blackburn managed to escape his truck, but had to be restrained by Stroud Area Regional Police, who had arrived at the scene, after he tried to run back into the flames of the burning truck twice, saying he wanted to kill himself.

Gutten and Wagner were taken to Pocono Medical Center and the Chelniks were flown to Lehigh Valley Hospital. Erben was pronounced dead at the scene of the 7:55 p.m. crash.

According to the Pocono Record, Blackburn told District Court Judge Thomas Shiffer in a slightly wavering voice, "I have 34 years of driving experience and I've never caused an accident. I'm not a drug user or drinker. I haven't been for years. I wasn't under the influence," Blackburn said before pausing and saying, "I don't know what else to say.”

Blackburn said that on June 8, he was driving in Fulton County, Ohio, when a Ford Escape approached him from the opposite direction and was about to hit him head-on. He said he veered sharply to the left, causing the Ford to hit him in his passenger side rather than head-on.

"A police officer on scene came up to me afterward and told me I saved that woman's life," said Blackburn.

Assistant District Attorney Donald Leeth said police are awaiting Blackburn's blood alcohol test results, since witnesses say Blackburn was driving in an erratic manner just before to the crash.

Blackburn, who was charged with vehicular homicide and other charges, remains in Monroe County Correctional Facility in lieu of a $100,000 bond. Leeth says another preliminary hearing will be set once the results from Blackburn's blood alcohol content tests return.