An accident on Interstate 81 in northeastern Pennsylvania resulted in the deaths of five women, believed to be from the same family, who were struck by a tractor-trailer after they exited their vehicles.
The incident occurred on Tuesday, January 16, 2024, amidst challenging weather conditions.
At around 5:15 p.m., near Scott Township just north of Scranton, a 2022 Honda Odyssey minivan, with four women aboard, was traveling north when it lost control and struck a median barrier. This collision left the vehicle incapacitated in the highway’s left lane.
Two relatives, who had been following the minivan in an Audi A6, stopped on the highway’s right shoulder after witnessing the crash.
The occupants of the Audi crossed the highway and joined two occupants of the minivan who had exited the vehicle. As they were gathered by the car, an approaching tractor-trailer collided with the Odyssey’s driver’s side, striking the four who had gathered outside the minivan, killing three of them. In addition, the two people who remained in the minivan were killed.
The Pennsylvania State Police identified the casualties of the tragic incident, all of whom were pronounced dead at the scene.
The victims were Fatma Ahmed, aged 71, from Binghamton; Shahzinaz Mizouri, 56, of Vestal; Berivan Zebara, 43, and Aleen Ameen, 19, both from Johnson City; and Harvrist Zebari, 42, from Endwell.
The driver of the Audi, 22-year-old Parjan Ameen of Johnson City, sustained moderate injuries, while the driver of the tractor-trailer suffered minor injuries.
Pennsylvania State Police are conducting a thorough investigation to understand the exact circumstances of this fatal incident.
