Morning roundup: 5 killed in fatal crash on I-81 in Chambersburg

Here a few news items from the morning of Friday, Aug. 11:

5 killed in Chambersburg RV crash

Five people were killed Wednesday night when a recreational vehicle blew a tire and collided with a tractor trailer on Interstate 81 in Chambersburg, according to state police.

An RV headed south on I-81 crossed the median after blowing a tire, striking a truck which was hauling double trailers, state police said.

Four people in the RV and the tractor trailer driver were killed in the crash. They were identified as Donald, Kimberly, Mirand and Dane Molander of Middletown, Pa. The truck driver was identified as James Shade of Martinsburg, W.Va., according to the Associated Press.

Police: Woman left 6 children in van outside municipal court

Allegheny County sheriffs charged a West Newton woman with leaving six children in an unattended van Thursday outside the Pittsburgh Municipal Courts building Downtown.

A sheriff’s lieutenant parking his vehicle Thursday afternoon noticed a gray Toyota mini-van with six minors inside and no adult present. The children ranged in age from 4 months to 4 years old.

When the driver, Shinazja C. Martinez-Hyde, 30, of West Newton, returned to the van, she spoke with police and it was determined that she did not have a current, valid driver’s license, according to a criminal complaint.

An ambulance was called to evaluate the children in the van, who were all cleared. Martinez-Hyde was seen on camera footage entering the court building at 1:45 p.m., and the children were left alone for about 15 minutes, police said.

She was charged with six counts each of endangering the welfare of children and reckless endangering, as well as related traffic violations.

Martinez-Hyde was unable to post bail and taken to the Allegheny County Jail. An Aug. 21 preliminary hearing is set in municipal court. An attorney was not listed in court records.

House fire in Forward Township

Emergency crews were called to the 7000 block of Hutchinson Road in Forward Township on Friday morning for a report of a working house fire.

Firefighters responded just after 7:30 a.m. Additional details were not immediately available.

Perseid meteor shower peaks

As the Earth passes through debris left behind by the Swift-Tuttle Comet, it creates the Perseid meteor shower, which will peak over the next few days, according to scientists.

According to Space.com, 2023 is a good viewing year because only a small sliver of the moon will be illuminated, making it easier to see debris burn up as Earth’s atmosphere rushes past.

NASA officials said sharp-eyed observers could see up to 100 meteors per hour. The comet itself is the largest known object to repeatedly pass by the Earth. It last passed during its orbit around the sun in 1992, and will not pass nearby again until 2126.

Scientists advise finding a dark area away from light pollution in order to best observe the Perseids. One place is the Flight 93 National Memorial, which will host an 8 p.m “Friends Under the Stars” program on Friday with several telescopes available to view the meteor shower.

Mingo Creek Park Observatory in Finleyville will also host a 6:30 p.m. “star party” on Friday and Saturday. The observatory is at 1 Shelter Ten Road.

On Saturday, members of the Amateur Astronomers Association of Pittsburgh will host a viewing at Passavant Retirement Community, 300 West Beaver St. in Zelienople.