BUFFALO TOWNSHIP - A 24-year-old Avis man was killed and five others were injured late Saturday night in a two-vehicle collision at the intersection of Route 45 and Johnson Mill Road (Route 1001) in this Union County township.
State police at Milton reported Rodney E. Merrifield Jr. was pronounced dead at the scene of the 11:15 p.m. crash by Union County Coroner Wanda Walters.
Police reported Merrifield had his red 2000 Subaru Forester pulled off the south berm on Route 45 across from the intersection with Johnson Mill Road when he attempted to make a U-turn onto Johnson Mill Road, but turned into the path of a blue 2010 Toyota Tundra driven east on Route 45 by Ross A. Jarrett, 67, of Mifflinburg, resulting in a collision. Police said the front end of the Tundra struck the driver's side door of the Forester.
After impact, police said the Forester traveled east in the westbound lane before coming to rest. The Forester crossed over the westbound lane into a grassy area, where it came to a halt.
Michael P. Bowes, 24, of Jersey Shore, a passenger in the Forester, suffered a moderate injury. Jarrett and three of his passengers, Qaisha Jacobs Narveaz, 31, of Lewisburg; Deja Jacobs, 18, of Lewisburg, and a 10-year-old Lewisburg girl suffered minor to moderate injuries. Jarrett was initially transported by ambulance to Evangelical Community Hospital in Lewisburg before being transferred to Geisinger Medical Center in Danville. Jarrett and Bowes underwent emergency room treatment at Geisinger before being released. Narveaz, Jacobs and the 10-year-old girl also were transported by ambulance to Geisinger.
A 1-year-old female passenger in Jarrett's Tundra escaped injury.
Both vehicles were towed from the scene by Bing's Towing.
Assisting police at the scene were Mifflinburg firefighters and ambulance personnel.
An investigation into the fatality is continuing.