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Police conclude investigation regarding fatal East Lampeter Township car crash

LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) — The East Lampeter Township Police Department announced that they have completed their investigation regarding a fatal, single-vehicle crash that occurred back in June.

At approximately 12:13 a.m. on June 25 East Lampeter Township Police responded to a single vehicle car crash on the 500 block of Willow Road.

Police arrived at the scene to find a 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe rolled over on its passenger side. The investigation found the car had three people inside, which included:

Police determined that the car was going north on Willow Road, exceeding speeds of 90 miles per hour in a posted 40 miles per hour zone. As the car crested a small grade north of Forry Road, the vehicle started rotating clockwise. The vehicle struck the eastside embankment, vaulted, and then rolled numerous times. The Santa Fe came to rest in a field at 521 Willow Road.

Investigation shows that during the crash, the 16-year-old who wasn’t wearing a seatbelt was partially ejected from the car and pinned under the vehicle. The Lancaster County Coroner’s Office pronounced him dead at the scene.

The 17-year-old front seat passenger of the vehicle was able to exit the vehicle and received care at Lancaster General Hospital for her injuries, police say.

Police discovered that the 17-year-old driver of the vehicle fled the scene on foot after the crash. He returned home, which was about a mile away from the crash. At around 2 a.m., the driver died from a self-inflicted gunshot. The Lancaster County Coroner’s Office pronounced him dead at the scene.

The 17-year-old passenger who was still at the scene of the crash told responding officers and investigators that she was the driver of the vehicle, however it was proven to be untrue. An autopsy later provided physical evidence that she was not the driver and that the 17-year-old who fled the scene that night was the driver, police say.

Toxicology testing also showed that the driver was under the influence of both alcohol and marijuana at the time of the crash. The investigation determined that the vehicle’s excessive speed, as well as the driver’s impairment, caused the crash.

On Nov. 8, 2022, a summary traffic citation was filed against the 17-year-old front seat passenger for violating Pennsylvania Vehicle Code 3748, titled False Reports.