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Marlin Fausnacht, 77 of the 800 block of Pointview Avenue, Ephrata, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash into the creek at 6:18 a.m., according to the Lancaster County Coroner's Office.
He was initially thought to have had a medical event before driving his Toyota Corolla off the 100 block of Old Mill Road in the borough. He went on to strike a pedestrian crossing sign, then slammed into a fence all before "going over an embankment into the Cocalico Creek.," a witness told the authorities. This all happened around 4:40 a.m. on Dec. 12, according to the police.
A water rescue was performed but the sole occupant of the corolla was already dead when EMS got to him, the police explained.
An autopsy results show that Fausnacht suffered from atherosclerosis, also known as atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. The disease causes "cholesterol, fat, blood cells and other substances in your blood [to] form plaque. When the plaque builds up, it causes your arteries to narrow. This reduces the supply of oxygen-rich blood to tissues of vital organs in the body," according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's website.
He suffered "a natural event" related to the disease and died of natural causes before the crashes began, Chief Deputy Coroner Eric Bieber said. He did not die "from trauma," due to the crashes, Bieber clearly explained.
The Ephrata Police were assisted on the scene by the Ephrata Pioneer Fire Company, Lincoln Fire Company, Ephrata Ambulance Company, and the Lancaster County Coroner’s Office.
Marlin J. “Butch” Fausnacht, "was a proud Veteran of the United States Navy" who served in Vietnam before becoming a long-distance truck driver, according to his obituary.
One of his favorite trucking memories was transporting some "major components of the James Webb Telescope across the country," as stated in his obituary.
He enjoyed NASCAR, fishing, cooking, storytelling with his friends and family, and watching the Kansas City Chiefs play.
He is survived by his wife of 27 years Geraldine (Hess) Fausnacht; daughters, Jodi (Ken) Memery of Lebanon; Andrea “Andi” (Matthew) Hill of Lancaster; and four grandchildren.
His memory will be held with military honors at Good Sipler Funeral Center, 34 North Reamstown Road, Reamstown at 3 p.m. on January 12, followed by a private burial at Memory Gardens. Friends and family are invited to join a toast to Butch at the Ephrata AMVETS PA at 4:30 p.m. that day.
Instead of flowers, donations in Butch’s name can be made to the Ephrata AMVETS, 614 S State St, Ephrata, PA 17522.
Click here to read Butch's full obituary.
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