Motorcyclist killed, 5 hurt in crash
An Exeter Township man was killed and five others injured Sunday, Nov. 8, when a car collided with five motorcycles on Route 183 in Penn Township, acting Berks County Coroner
Jonn M. Hollenbach said Monday morning, Nov. 9.
Jess Rohrbach, 44, was pronounced dead at the scene at 4:34 p.m. by Hollenbach.
Rohrbach was one of five people riding motorcycles as a group southbound on Route 183 between Plum
Creek and Hill roads, south of Bernville, when a northbound car collided with the group, Hollenbach said.
The stretch of Route 183 was closed for more than four hours while state police investigated.
According to a state police news release:
The car was traveling north on Route 183 and crossed the double yellow line when the driver lost control. The car then struck the five southbound motorcycles.
The impact caused one of the motorcycles to burst into flames and explode.
The rider of one of the motorcycles was thrown from his bike and suffered fatal injuries. The other four motorcycle riders suffered severe injuries.
Three of the other motorcycle riders and the driver of the car were injured, Hollenbach said.
One of the motorcyclists was flown by medical helicopter to Lehigh Valley Hospital, near Allentown. Two other motorcyclists and the driver of the car were taken by ambulance to Reading Hospital.
Information on their medical conditions could not be obtained.
State police haven’t released the names of the driver of the car and the other motorcyclists.
The cause and manner of death for Rohrbach is pending an autopsy scheduled for Tuesday in Reading Hospital.
All vehicles were towed from the scene and held by state police as evidence.