A Schuylkill County man is facing felony charges following a head-on crash earlier this year in Berks County that killed a child and seriously injured another driver.
Bernard John Scherr, 56, of Lake Wynonah, has been charged by State Police-Reading with Homicide by Vehicle and Aggravated Assault by Vehicle in connection with a Jan. 3 crash along Route 183 in Penn Township, Berks County.
Police say the crash happened just after 5 a.m. in the 5900 block of Bernville Road (Route 183), a two-lane highway with a posted 55 mph speed limit. According to the affidavit filed by State Police, Scherr was driving a 2017 GMC Sierra southbound when he attempted to pass another vehicle by crossing the double-yellow line into the northbound lane.
At the same time, Erikka Jourdan Phillips was driving north in a 2008 Ford Edge with a juvenile passenger identified as J.C. secured in a child safety seat in the back. As Scherr’s truck entered her lane, Phillips swerved to the right in an attempt to avoid a collision, but the two vehicles collided nearly head-on.
Phillips and Scherr both suffered serious injuries and were taken to Reading Hospital. J.C. was rushed to the hospital by ambulance but was pronounced dead at 7:32 a.m. The child’s cause of death was determined to be blunt force trauma to the head and neck.
Crash data obtained from the GMC indicated Scherr’s vehicle was traveling between 80 and 88 mph in the five seconds leading up to the crash. Investigators said he only applied the brakes about two seconds before impact. The data showed the Ford was traveling at approximately 46 mph and had begun braking before the collision occurred.
A witness told police he saw Scherr’s truck enter the northbound lane as it crested a hill and then heard the sound of tires locking up, followed by the crash.
Scherr was alone in his vehicle and had to be extricated by emergency responders. Phillips, who was unrestrained, was treated at the scene before being hospitalized for serious injuries.
Troopers noted that there were no defects or obstructions on the roadway that could have contributed to the crash. They concluded Scherr’s decision to pass another vehicle in a no-passing zone directly caused the collision that killed the child and seriously injured Phillips.
Scherr was arraigned before District Magistrate Judge Andrea Book on Wednesday morning. Book has recused herself from the case and it will be reassigned to another District Court in Berks County for a preliminary hearing. Scherr has been released on $50,000 unsecured bail.
Subscribe to Coal Region Canary
Get email updates from Coal Region Canary by becoming a subscriber today. Just enter your email address below to get started!Support Coal Region Canary
Like our reporting and want to support truly local news in Schuylkill County? Your small donations help. For as little as $5, your contribution will allow us to cover more news that directly affects you. Consider donating today by hitting the big yellow button below ...