Vehicle plummets into Manatawny Creek

POTTSTOWN » Police are investigating the circumstances that led to a sport utility vehicle plummeting into Manatawny Creek Friday evening.

The original call came in at 7:35 p.m. and when emergency crews arrived, they found the dark-colored Saturn had crashed through the guardrail and was partially submerged in the creek.

The accident occurred at the intersection of Walnut and Manatawny streets and the single occupant of the vehicle, Rayana Moody, 24, of Philadelphia, was immediately taken to Reading Hospital for treatment, according to police.

Elizabeth Maye told Digital First Media that she and her family witnessed the crash.

Maye said her mother, Patti Pacana, was driving a van and had stopped, double-parked, on Walnut Street to pick up Pacana’s daughter, Kayla Gerhard and Gerhard’s three children, ages 6, 5 and three months.

“While they were hooking up the car seats they heard the lady honking and flashing her lights before she crossed over York,” Maye wrote in a Facebook message.

“So they were trying to take the kids out of the van just in case, but the lady was able to go in between the parked cars and the van,” Maye wrote.

“The lady put her foot out of her car and then jumped out smacking her forehead on the curb right before the stop sign at Walnut and Manatawny,” according to Maye.

“My mom and sister ran down to the lady. Blood covered her forehead up into her hair,” wrote Maye, adding that both Pacana and Gerhard were interviewed by police about what they witnessed.

This explanation may explain why there were no skid marks on the road or the grass at the scene of the crash.

Pottstown Police Sgt. Mark Boyce said the information Maye provided reflects the information police have gathered so far, but emphasized that the investigation is ongoing and there is no official word of the cause.

He also had no information regarding Moody’s medical condition.

Getting the vehicle back up onto the roadway proved difficult and nearly 90 minutes after the first call, Manatanwy Street was still blocked as the extraction continued.

EVAN BRANDT — DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA A wrecker slowly and carefully pulls an SUV that crashed through the guardrail along Manatawny Street Friday evening back up the embankment away from the creek.