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Coroner IDs 2 Killed In I-78 Crash

Authorities have identified the two men killed in a Monday morning dump truck crash that closed down stretches of Route 78 in Berks and Lehigh counties.

Donald T. Gercie, 63, of Alpha, NJ, and Joel A. Fantauzzi Ortiz, 40, of Bethlehem, were killed in a Monday morning dump truck crash that closed down stretches of Route 78, authorities said.

Donald T. Gercie, 63, of Alpha, NJ, and Joel A. Fantauzzi Ortiz, 40, of Bethlehem, were killed in a Monday morning dump truck crash that closed down stretches of Route 78, authorities said.

Photo Credit: Donald Gercie Facebook/Joel Fantauzzi Facebook

Donald T. Gercie, 63, was driving a dump truck that hit an overpass in the eastbound lanes and rolled over near milepost 48.0 in Upper Macungie just after 9:50 a.m., the Coroner’s Officer said.

Gercie, of Alpha, NJ, was pronounced dead at the scene from multiple blunt force injuries just before 12:25 p.m. The manner of death was accidental.

Gercie’s passenger, Joel A. Fantauzzi Ortiz, 40, of Bethlehem, was pronounced dead just before 10:50 a.m. The cause and and manner of death was the same.

Tributes starting coming in within hours:

Meanwhile, the entire highway between Routes 863 and 100 was closed Monday morning while emergency workers cleared the way and investigated the scene, authorities said.

Westbound lanes reopened at 2:30 p.m., while eastbound lanes stayed closed through the evening.

The crash remains under investigation by the coroner’s office, as well as the Pennsylvania State Police, Fogelsville Station.

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