Surviving Driver in Fatal Cass Township Crash Charged with Homicide by Vehicle

Police have charged the driver who crashed head-on into a vehicle Friday evening in Cass Township that resulted in the death of a Pottsville woman with vehicular homicide.

According to an update from State Police-Frackville, 65-year-old Elizabeth Ryan, of Pottsville, died when a vehicle she was driving on Route 901 in Cass Township at about 7:30 p.m. was struck head-on by another vehicle.

Ryan had two children on board at the time of the crash, ages 5 and 8. Police say they were transported to a hospital for treatment of severe injuries. 

Meanwhile, police on Sunday charged 46-year-old Rodney Rivers, with a last-known address of Youngstown, Ohio, with homicide by vehicle and aggrevated assault by vehicle.

As part of their initial investigation, police say Rivers was driving north on Route 901 (aka Sunbury Rd.) at about 7:30 p.m. Rivers was trying to negotiate a right curve in the road “at a high rate of speed” while attempting to pass “numerous vehicles on the left.”

At the same time, Ryan’s vehicle with two passengers on board was headed south on Route 901. Ryan’s vehicle was struck head-on by the Rivers’ vehicle.

Rivers was able to remove himself from his vehicle and did not report any injuries, police said at the time. 

Police say Rivers was arraigned before District Magistrate Edward Tarantelli on Sunday. Tarantelli set bail at $500,000 cash and he was remanded to Schuylkill County Prison. 

Rivers’ court documents weren’t available at the time of this posting. 

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