HARVEYS LAKE — Borough police are asking for the public’s assistance in locating a vehicle believed to have been involved in a hit-and-run crash Wednesday at Pole 69 Lakeside Drive along what they say is a straight stretch with a clear line of sight.
According to Police Chief Charles Musial, cyclist Kurt Mangnella, 52, a Dallas resident, was riding on the proper side of the road, had a helmet on and was using blinking rear lights when he was struck by a vehicle believed to be a 2005 or 2006 model Chevrolet Equinox LT. The SUV is believed to have sustained heavy damage to its passenger side mirror, windshield and bumper.
Borough council President Bill Hilburt said that following the death of Paula Jones last June in a fatal hit-and-run crash, a safety committee was formed in an attempt to ensure that motorists and physical fitness enthusiasts could safely share the roadway.
Hilburt, in response to the latest crash, said that because the roadway is a state road, it falls under the auspices of PennDOT. Still, he said the committee was working with the state and public officials to make the route both safe and accessible to its residents.
Hilburt said a traffic study completed by PennDOT indicated that 30 miles per hour would be a more appropriate speed limit than the current 35.
He anticipates that change will be made in the next several weeks, as soon as the signage for the roadway is completed.
The borough, working with PennDOT, has also made other changes that officials say make the lakeside roadway safer for residents and tourists.
“We do have one crosswalk,” he said. “And we are going to install another one.”
The borough, he said, is also sponsoring “safety days” in an attempt to inform residents how to use the lake appropriately as motorists, walkers, joggers and bicyclists.
He emphasized that considerate, responsible behavior would go a long way toward ensuring safety of pedestrians and motorists.
He said his son and daughter-in-law train around the lake and he sometimes worries about them, describing Wednesday’s hit-and-run as “unbelievable.”
“How can someone hit someone on a bike and just keep going,” he asked. “How can someone hit anyone and just keep going?”
Anyone with information is asked to call Chief Musial at 570-332-3837.