Coroner: Police report on crash doesn't explain why wreck went unnoticed
Font size: [A] [A] [A]
e-mail this
share this
By Charles Schillinger
A state police report on an accident that killed a Taylor man in February does not explain why troopers from the Pocono Barracks failed to find the wreck off the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike for three days, Lackawanna County Coroner Joseph Brennan confirmed Friday.
And state police say there is no other report on the incident that might explain the failure.
Mr. Brennan would not release or discuss the report on the advice of legal counsel, but he did say the nontraffic death investigation report only details events after the discovery of the wreckage and 47-year-old Sam Turoni, who died from his injuries. Hypothermia may have played a part in Mr. Turoni's death, according to an autopsy report.
"My office did not generate the report. Therefore, it is not allowed to release it," Mr. Brennan said. "I don't want to do the wrong thing here."
Mr. Brennan's office had requested the report in late February as a normal procedure, but did not receive it until state police released it to him in October. Mr. Brennan said he wasn't sure why it was being released now.
The Times-Tribune has filed a Right-to-Know request seeking the report, which is now a supplement of the coroner's report. State police have declined to release the report, arguing a nontraffic death investigation report is exempt from open-records law.
There is no other report that might state why - despite two 911 calls reporting the crash - nothing was found, said state police press secretary Jack Lewis.
"The only report prepared in connection with this case was the report provided to the coroner," Mr. Lewis said. "In part because of the potential for litigation, the department is not commenting further on the case."
Mr. Lewis said state police have received notice of intent to sue from the estate of Mr. Turoni.
Mr. Turoni's crash was first reported to the Lackawanna County Communications Center at 11:41 a.m. on Feb. 21. According to communications center records, state police called off the response 12 minutes later after not finding the crash scene.
A second call at 10:30 a.m. Feb. 22 came from someone who had reported a car in the woods. Again, no car was found, according to the 911 recordings.
Finally, at 1:02 p.m. Feb. 24, Mr. Turoni's body and his vehicle were found by 74-year-old Mike Drost of Old Forge, who was driving on the turnpike, saw the vehicle and stopped to check on it.
The autopsy determined Mr. Turoni suffered multiple rib fractures, contusions, lacerations and a pelvic fracture, but had managed to get out of his car. He walked around the front of the vehicle and reached the passenger side before collapsing, the report indicated.
Mr. Brennan's office ruled Mr. Turoni died as a result of the crash - but state police say there is no traffic report for the crash. Mr. Brennan said the state police report would not change what his office had already determined.
"The coroner has the final say on the cause and manner of death," he said.
Mr. Turoni, a native of Wilkes-Barre, owned Sam's Deli in Taylor and, most recently, the Convenient Food Mart on Main Street in Old Forge.
His family has not returned calls for comment. His family filed a missing-person report at 3:45 p.m. Feb. 22, which states he was last seen about noon Feb. 21.
Contact the writer: cschillinger@timesshamrock.com
26 posted comments
Every 10 minutes you waste in with your corrupt, quota filled, lazy, retaliatory mentality; just remember a life could have been saved!
Did you ever learn about dangling participles and run-on sentences? What exactly are ‘commentors’? Is it part of the PSP professional vocabulary? It is obvious why the PSP cannot write a report employing troopers like you who could not combine two words to make a complete sentence. The next time you ‘head out’, take ‘SEE YOU SOON’ with you since he also cannot complete a sentence. Do you two represent all of the PSP? YOU ARE A DISGRACE!! YOUR COLONEL SHOULD BE SO PROUD!!!
Excellent comment. Obviously, you have been held to higher ethical standards during your tenure and the PSP cannot relate to your professional commitments, far exceeding the fact the PSP wear no badges. Do not know if the PSP want to antagonize the public these day…truly sad…
I am not going to resign, PERIOD. The PSP has my back. The taxpayer will pay the family. So, vent, but don't let me catch you speeding.
"The Times-Tribune has filed a Right-to-Know request seeking the report, which is now a supplement of the coroner's report. State police have declined to release the report, arguing a non-traffic death investigation report is exempt from open-records law."
The reclassification of the report cannot overcome the Coroner's Official report. File a Motion with the Court to compel State Police to Show Cause how the "classification" as non-traffic related is anything other than an abuse of discretion clearly designed to avoid release of embarrassing and incriminating evidence of liability in the unfortunate death of Mr. Turoni.
Show a little moxie Times!(or ANYONE who is denied access to the Public Record)
To the PA State Police: As a former badge, I must say that blatant attempts to cover your backside results in widespread diminished public respect for those who serve honestly. When someone screws up, you must own up to it, rather than behaving like a hoodlum!
YOU SHAME US ALL!