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First Posted: 8/22/2014

DALLAS TWP. — An elderly woman was killed in a two-vehicle crash on Memorial Highway on Friday morning.

The Luzerne County Coroner’s Office identified the woman as 78-year-old Shirley Zajkowski, of Monroe Township, Wyoming County.

Police at the scene said Zajkowski turned into the southbound lanes of Memorial Highway (state Route 309) from the access road to Jack Williams Tire and Auto Center and AA Auto at about 11:30 a.m. When she turned, her vehicle was struck by another vehicle.

Dallas Township Police Chief Robert Jolley said the force of the impact caused Zajkowski, who was not wearing a seat belt, to be ejected from her vehicle.

After Zajkowski was thrown from the vehicle, Jolley said, her vehicle rolled onto its right side and on top of her. He said witnesses helped to get the vehicle back onto its wheels and off the woman.

Zajkowski was pronounced dead at the scene by Luzerne County Coroner Bill Lisman. Later in the day, Lisman’s office said she died of multiple traumatic injuries as a result of the crash.

Jolley said the driver of the vehicle that struck Zajkowski’s vehicle did not sustain any injuries, but was “shaken up” by the incident.

The crash brought traffic to a crawl on the northbound lanes of Memorial Highway. Emergency officials restricted traffic on the southbound lanes, forcing motorists to seek an alternate route as the crash was being investigated.

Times Leader staff writer Steve Mocarsky contributed to this story.