A flatbed truck overturned on Route 222 in Manheim Township Monday morning, snarling southbound traffic for more than 7 hours.
According to Manheim Township Police, a truck operated by Michael A. Hasselhan, 36, of Reading, was approaching traffic which was slowing between Eden and Hunsecker roads at around 7:45 a.m. Hasselhan's rig struck the rear of a car driven by James F. Armstrong III, 51 of Mohnton. The truck rolled onto its side and slid into a tractor-trailer operated by Jeffrey J. Clark, 58, of Vermont.
Hasselhan who, according to court records from Exeter Township, Berks County was convicted of drunk driving in 2011, was trapped in his vehicle. Also trapped was a passenger in Hasselhan's truck. Both men had to be extricated by the fire department. Freeing one of the victims took about an hour, according to police.
Both victims sustained serious and life-threatening injuries, said Manheim Township Police Lt. Thomas Rudzinski.
The passenger, whose name has not been released, was transported by helicopter to Lancaster General Hospital.
Clark and Armstrong were uninjured.
Traffic on 222 was detoured off the Oregon Pike/Route 272 exit, causing significant delays on the highway. Route 272 was also bumper-to-bumper for several miles.
Rudzinski said no charges have been filed as of yet because the crash remains under investigation.
Police ask anyone who witnessed the crash to contact the Manheim Township Police at 569-6401.
Besides DUI, Hasselhan has had other scrapes with the law as well. According to the Morning Call and Berks County court records, he was one of several men from Berks and Montgomery counties arrested in 2011 in connection with a $1 million-a-year sports betting ring. At the time of the arrests, police siezed $200,000 and five luxury vehicles.
Hasselhan was released on $50,000 bail, court records show. He pleaded guilty to bookmaking.
