Witness describes jam-causing crash on I-95

By Peter Mucha, Inquirer Staff Writer

Posted: October 12, 2012

A disabled truck blocking one lane of I-95 South had traffic backed up for at least a couple of miles this morning in Bensalem.

One eyewitness described narrowly escaping as the accident developed around him - a car losing control in front of him, a truck behind him.

Mike Elek, an executive producer for Philly.com, was commuting from Ewing, N.J., about 9 a.m. when a car passed him, began to swerve, and tried to pull off the road.

"I heard the screech of tires, and looked in my rearview mirror," he said. He saw a large truck in the middle lane lose control, strike the leftside concrete barrier, "and then careen across all three lanes before coming to a stop."

First Elek was braking to avoid the car, then resuming speed to avoid debris being flung forward from the truck.

Luckily, no vehicles collided, and, Elek, again looking in back in a mirror, saw the car driver walk away.

"About two miles down the road, I saw a Pennsylvania state trooper, who was speaking to several motorists. I pulled over and told him about the accident," Elek said.

At first, just one lane was getting by shortly after the accident, but by 10:40, the truck was farther onto the shoulder, allowing two lanes to pass.

By 11 a.m., the accidentally apparently had been cleared, since traffic was moving freely again.

Contact staff writer Peter Mucha at 215-854-4342 or pmucha@phillynews.com.