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Investigators have determined the identities of the two people killed in Monday's single-vehicle early morning crash as Williamsport residents Sierra Jacobs, the driver, and her passenger, Travis Mosteller, both 24.
Jacobs, operating a 2009 Mercedes, was eastbound on Washington Boulevard and crashed into a bridge abutment over Miller Run – where the boulevard and East Third Street merge – about 1:45 a.m., state police and the Lycoming County Coroner's Office said.
"Jacobs failed to negotiate a right curve by under compensating, causing the car to exit the north side of the roadway and onto the sidewalk," Trooper Jacob Sukal said in a news release.
After hitting the bridge abutment, the car rotated counterclockwise and overturned on its passenger side, the trooper said, adding that the vehicle fell about 12 feet down an embankment and caught fire.
Loyalsock Township paramedics, responding from their firehouse about 75 yards away on Northway Road, were the first on the scene. They attempted to reach the two trapped occupants, but were unsuccessful due to the intensity of the fire.
Township firemen soon pulled out of the firehouse with apparatus and extinguished the fire in a matter of minutes. State and city police also rushed to the scene. City firefighters were special called to the crash and provided additional manpower and water.
County Coroner Charles E. Kiessling said both Jacobs and Mosteller were pronounced dead at the scene.
"The cause of death for both was due to multiple blunt force trauma injuries and burns. Due to the severity of the burns, additional studies were completed to positively identify both victims," he said.
The crash remains under investigation.
At this time, the state Department of Transportation is working through the process of addressing the metal handrails that were damaged at this location. "We remind motorists and pedestrians to use caution in this area," said Maggie Baker, community relations coordinator with PennDOT District 3 in Montoursville.
Mark Maroney, Sun-Gazette staff, contributed to this story.