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One killed in crash near Lycoming Mall

PHILIP A. HOLMES/Sun-Gazette The operator of this FedEx truck was killed late Tuesday afternoon when the vehicle crashed into the back of tractor-trailer truck that was parked along the berm, state police said. The driver of the tractor-trailer had pulled off to make a call on his cellphone, investigators said.

The driver of a FedEx home delivery truck was killed, and his passenger, his step-son, was injured when the vehicle slammed into the back of a tractor-trailer truck that was parked along the berm of the Lycoming Mall Road exit ramp of Interstate 180 West in Muncy Township about 4 p.m. Tuesday, state police said.

The identities of the driver and passenger were expected to be released later today, according to Jerold Ross, the county’s chief deputy coroner. Both he and Alexis Martin, a deputy coroner, were at the scene. The passenger was taken by Picture Rocks ambulance to UPMC Williamsport, rescue personnel said.

It was a mystery Tuesday night as to why the delivery van veered off the lane and into the back of the tractor trailer, whose driver had stopped and pulled over to make a cellphone call concerning his next assignment, Ross said.

Ross noted that neither the driver of the delivery truck nor his son were employees of FedEx, but were employed by a sub-contracting firm that is used by the delivery service. Once the driver’s body was extricated from the wreckage, it was taken to the hospital’s forensic center, where investigators will try to determine the victim’s cause of death.

It was believed that the operator of the FedEx truck may have been heading to the FedEx Ground facility on nearby Alexander Drive, but officials could not confirm that Tuesday night.

The off-ramp remained closed at least two hours as troopers continued to process the crash scene. An accident reconstructionist also was dispatched to the scene.

Volunteer firefighters from Pennsdale and Montoursville responded to the crash.

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