A violent chain-reaction crash involving a Pocono Township police cruiser sent three people, including the officer, to Pocono Medical Center on Thursday afternoon.

A violent chain-reaction crash involving a Pocono Township police cruiser sent three people, including the officer, to Pocono Medical Center on Thursday afternoon.



The crash occurred around 5:30 p.m. on Route 940 near Route 380 in Paradise Township.



Witnesses said at the time, police vehicles from multiple agencies were rushing through the area heading to the Barrett Township area, where dozens of officers were looking for alleged Blooming Grove shooter Eric Frein late Thursday night. One of the cruisers struck a car, causing the chain-reaction crash.



Charlie Cook was on Route 940 at the time. He said the officer's car, which was displaying its lights and sirens, was passing cars that had pulled over on the eastbound shoulder of Route 940, when it struck a vehicle that suddenly turned left across traffic from that same lane.



The cruiser then crossed the westbound lanes, striking a truck that was waiting to pull out onto Route 940.



A witness, who declined to be named, said the violent impact threw the truck into the air, and it crashed into a vehicle that was parked on the lawn of a nearby auto body shop.



Ron Heller of Sciota was driving the truck that was struck, but had only minor injuries. His passenger was transported to PMC with unknown injuries.



"This was pretty intense, to see that coming right at you," Heller said. "He didn't have a choice though."



His truck and the police cruiser sustained heavy front-end damage.



Witnesses said the cruiser was one of several police vehicles, displaying lights and sirens, heading toward Route 447 in Barrett Township, where the search for alleged Blooming Grove shooter Eric Frein has intensified.



Heller's wife, Becca, who raced over from Stroud Township after hearing about the crash, said they had just bought the truck last week. She said after the crash they saw multiple police vehicles heading toward Barrett Township, including armored ones.



"That's what we're gonna drive from now on," Becca Heller said.