Fatal auto accident in the Water Gap

BUSHKILL - The National Park Service reported that an accident on U.S. Route 209 within Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, just north of Bushkill injured the driver of a Ford Explorer and took the life of her passenger just before noon last Friday. The 1999 Explorer was headed south on the highway when it crossed the northbound lane, struck an embankment, catapulted into the trees and landed on its roof. The driver, later identified as Cecily Deangelo, of Pine Ridge, in Lehman Township, was able to extricate herself, but her male passenger remained entrapped. The first responding ranger, who was on scene within minutes, could not detect any pulse in the passenger, who had suffered a traumatic injury despite wearing a seatbelt due to the collapse of the Explorer’s roof. Bushkill Fire Department and Bushkill Ambulance personnel were on scene shortly thereafter. Power tools were employed to extricate the passenger, and medics confirmed that he had expired. The victim was identified as Louis Hunter, 58, a resident of New York City. The Pike County Coroner has determined that Hunter died of blunt trauma due to the collapse of the vehicle roof. Deangelo suffered serious injuries and was taken to Pocono Medical Center. She was subsequently flown to St. Luke’s Hospital in Bethlehem, where she remained in intensive care Monday. The force of impact was sufficient to lop off the tops of several trees about four feet up from the ground. Some of the trees were at least six inches in diameter. About 30 rangers, firefighters and EMS personnel from the park and Bushkill responded to the accident. An investigation into the cause of the accident is underway.