Trucker falls asleep during rush-hour Route 422 traffic, triggering 4-vehicle crash

Steven Henshaw, Reading Eagle, Pa.
·1 min read

Sep. 23—A truck driver from Bethlehem fell asleep while driving on the eastbound West Shore Bypass in Reading, causing a four-vehicle crash during the morning rush Tuesday, state police said.

The crash happened about 7 a.m. on Route 422 eastbound near the Brentwood Drive overpass when the truck driven by Vidal Mercado, 32, drifted into the left lane, pushing an SUV driven by Micah Albrycht, 36, of Sinking Spring against the concrete median barrier, troopers at the Reading station said.

They provided this further account:

With the rig blocking the lanes, the driver of another SUV, Tracy A. Johnson, 57, of Leesport, quickly applied her brakes and was rear-ended by a car driven by Kimberly A. Hasson, 22, of Sinking Spring.

All four drivers were the lone occupants of their vehicles and were wearing seat belts. All were evaluated at the scene by emergency medical personnel and declined to be transported to a hospital.

The truck sustained damage to the rear axle but could be driven from the scene. The vehicles driven by Albrycht and Johnson needed to be towed. Hasson's car sustained minor damage but was operable.

Mercado was cited for failing to stay in his lane of travel.