Police identify two men killed in Route 54 crash

Turbotville, Pa. — Police have released the names of two men who were killed Friday in a fiery four-vehicle crash at an intersection on Route 54 in Limestone Township, Montour County. Homer S. Rice, 55, of Lewistown, and Robert W. Sholder Jr., 39, of Williamsport, were pronounced dead at the scene shortly after the crash occurred at 2:36 p.m. June 28 at the intersection of County Line Road and Route 54, according to Trp. Jared Mowen of state police at Milton. Police say Rice was traveling west on Route 54 in a tri-axle dump truck at an unsafe speed when he swerved left to avoid rear-ending a Subaru in front of him. The evasive maneuver caused Rice's truck to drive into oncoming traffic on Route 54 and he hit a tractor-trailer truck driven by Sholder. The impact caused both vehicles to travel south toward County Line Road where they hit a small T-tag dump truck that was stopped at a stop sign. As the collision happened, Sholder's low-boy trailer on his truck swung out into the westbound lane of Route 54, causing the Subaru to hit it and then travel into a ditch on the east side of County Line Road, according to police. At the time, Rice's truck was fully loaded with stone material. Sholder's truck trailer was fully loaded with cement piping material. The impact caused Rice's and Sholder's truck to catch fire, Mowen said. The flames also reached the Subaru, causing it to become engulfed in flames. The driver of the Subaru, Louise Anne Everest, 62, of Muncy, was extricated from the vehicle and taken to Geisinger Medical Center for suspected serious injuries, police said. The driver of the T-tag dump truck, Mark A. Cassel, 49, of Turbotville, was transported to Evangelical Community Hospital for treatment of suspected minor injuries. Route 54 was closed for several hours as responders worked at the scene. The Montour County Coroner's Office assisted, as well as fire departments from Warrior Run, Turbotville, Milton, White Deer Township, Muncy area, Washingtonville, Liberty Township, and Mahoning Township.