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Santos Diaz-Colon, was involved in the crash on Interstate 81 near mile marker 89.5 in Union Township around 6:15 p.m., the Pennsylvania state police at Jonestown, announced early the next morning.
The crash began when, former runaway, Jaleika Morales-Cruz, 18, of Reading was driving the 2008 Pontiac G6 that Diaz-Colon was riding on Interstate 78 when she attempted to merge onto I-81 north but she accelerated too quickly for the snowy and sleepy conditions of the roadway, according to the police release.
The sedan spun-out and traveled across the grass median and into southbound traffic— slamming the sedan's driver's side rear passenger door into the front of a 2018 Chevrolet Equinox driven by Jamie Lyon, 39, of Falls Church Court, VA, the police detailed in the release.
Lyon, Morales-Cruz, and her two passengers; Xander Cott, 19, and Samuel Morales-Cruz, 21, also of Reading, sustained minor injuries— all four were transported to Hershey Medical Center, according to the police.
Diaz-Colon became entrapped— succumbing to his injuries— and was pronounced deceased at the scene by the Lebanon County coroner's office.
This deadly crash closed Southbound lanes are closed between Exit 90: PA 72 - Lebanon and Exit 85: PA 934 - Annville/Fort Indiantown Gap for about approximately four hours, according to PennDOT's 511pa and multiple media outlets.
Diaz-Colon is a father from Reading, according to his family's social media and public records.
Diaz-Colon is survived by his family.
Additional information was not released at the time of this publication, and Pennsylvania state police continue to investigate this deadly crash.
Editor's Note: This article was updated to correct the victim's address and photo per a request by the family.
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