Another warrant has been issued for the arrest of a Schuylkill County man after he failed to appear at a preliminary hearing Monday for a case in which he’s accused of causing a fiery crash on Gordon Nagle Trail last year that injured eight people.
Noah Shaak was already warrant on two separate Schuylkill County bench warrants after he failed to appear to begin serving prison sentences in two other cases.
On Monday, he did not show up at District Court in Pottsville for a case in which he’s facing numerous charges, including three felony counts of aggravated vehicular assault and multiple misdemeanor counts of DUI, reckless endangerment, simple assault, and drug possession.
Police say Shaak had methamphetamine, methadone, and Xanax in his system when he caused a fiery head-on collision on the Gordon Nagle Trail in June that injured eight people.
The crash happened at about 6 p.m. on June 12. Police say Shaak was driving a 2017 GMC Sierra northbound when he crossed into the southbound lane. Shaak’s truck forced a southbound Chevrolet Malibu towing a trailer onto the shoulder. After allegedly striking and severely damaging the trailer, Shaak’s vehicle continued north in the southbound lane and hit a 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee head-on. The engine compartment of the Sierra then caught fire.
The collision injured eight people. Six of the victims were riding in Shaak’s truck, which was only equipped with five seats, police say. Shaak and two of his passengers were airlifted to trauma centers, while ambulances transported the remaining injured individuals.
On Monday, six of those victims appeared in District Court ready to testify. A passenger in Shaak’s vehicle reportedly told police Shaak had taken Xanax roughly 90 minutes before the wreck and stated the pills were kept in the center console. The passenger described Shaak as falling asleep behind the wheel, having mood swings, and swerving in and out of lanes prior to the crash, telling police they did not feel he was capable of driving safely.
Police say they also interviewed the driver of the Jeep a few days after the crash. She reported seeing Shaak’s truck fishtailing at a high speed just before the impact. Immediately following the crash, she told police, Shaak attempted to blame her and claimed his truck had “hydroplaned,” despite the lack of rain.
While reconstructing the accident, police say they spotted a baggie of suspected marijuana in plain view on the GMC’s back seat. A search warrant was executed on the truck on June 17, allegedly recovering a navy Apple iPhone and two empty prescription bottles – one for methadone and one for clonazepam – from the center console. Police say both medications were prescribed to Shaak.
A blood sample drawn from Shaak on June 13 at Geisinger Medical Center was submitted for testing. Police say they received the toxicology report on July 2, which indicated the presence of multiple substances in his system, including amphetamine, methamphetamine (80ng/ml), methadone, clonazepam, and Delta-9 THC.
During follow-up interviews in November, police documented the severe injuries sustained by the victims. The front-seat passenger in Shaak’s truck suffered the worst trauma, including a punctured lung, two broken ribs, and a shattered left arm and leg. Police say she now relies on a walker and has permanent pins and rods in her limbs. Other occupants of Shaak’s vehicle suffered broken bones, facial fractures, and a concussion with brain trauma. The driver of the Jeep required a staple in her head to close a laceration and underwent surgery for a broken right ankle.
Monday’s hearing was held without Shaak present and all charges were held for Schuylkill County Court.
Back in December, Shaak entered guilty pleas on charges of retail theft and DUI and was sentenced to prison in each case but failed to show.
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