By News-Item Staff
MOUNT CARMEL TOWNSHIP - Northumberland County Coroner James F. Kelley released the autopsy reports Wednesday of the two elderly cousins who were killed in a head-on collision Monday afternoon on Route 54.
The cause of death for Charles D. Carl, 92, was attributed to blunt force trauma to the torso, which involved a torn aorta and fractured ribs, and the cause of death for Ronald E. Matejick, 76, was attributed to multiple blunt force trauma to the head, neck and chest, which included neck fractures and rib fractures, Kelley reported.
The autopsies were performed Wednesday morning at Lehigh Valley Hospital, Allentown, by two forensic pathologists. Carl's autopsy was performed by Dr. Samuel Land and Matejick's autopsy was performed by Dr. Rameen Starling-Roney.
Carl was a front seat passenger and was wearing his seatbelt while Matejick was a rear seat passenger on the passenger side and not wearing a seatbelt, Kelley reported.
Both individuals' death was due to the motor vehicle accident, which occurred at 12:15 p.m. Monday when Glenn Meredith, 52, of Mount Carmel, was allegedly swerving in a 2001 Dodge Dakota pickup on Route 54 before the vehicle crossed the double yellow lines and struck a 2004 GMC Envoy carrying passengers Carl and Matejick, both of Gordon, who were pronounced dead at the scene.
Meredith was listed in critical condition Wednesday afternoon by a Geisinger Medical Center nursing supervisor.
Tina Alexander, 40, of Gordon, who was driving the Envoy, was listed in fair condition, pending discharge, by the same nursing supervisor Wednesday afternoon.
The cousins were being driven to Geisinger Medical Center by Alexander, who is a granddaughter of Carl and a niece of Matejick.
Kelley also reported that the manners of death for both men are "pending investigation" at this time and will be ruled on by him at the conclusion of the investigation.
Hollenbush said Monday his department is treating the investigation into the crash as a criminal matter and are looking into whether alcohol played a role.
The investigation is continuing by Mount Carmel Township Chief of Police Brian Hollenbush, Kelley, Deputy Coroners James R. Gotlob and Barry J. Leisenring and the Northumberland County District Attorney's Office.