Posted on 06/02/2010 6:16:18 PM PDT by csvset
Republican congressional candidate Tom Marino was hospitalized overnight in Bradford County after his pickup truck was struck Tuesday night by a car that crossed the center line in downtown Towanda, state police at Towanda said.
Police said they will charge the other driver, Michelle J. Merschbach, 23, of Towanda, with driving under the influence of alcohol.
Mr. Marino, 57, a former U.S. attorney who lives in Lycoming Township in Lycoming County, was at Memorial Hospital in Towanda and might be released today, his wife, Edie, said. He suffered no broken bones or major injuries, but complained of dizziness after the accident and was kept in the hospital observation, she said.
"He's doing well," Mrs. Marino said. "He's conscious and talking."
David Weber, Mr. Marino's campaign manager, said Mr. Marino feels sore.
"He's really stiff. He's a black-and-blue mess," he said. "But he's resting comfortably."
Mr. Weber said Mr. Marino had just left a reorganization meeting of the Bradford County Republican Party about 9 p.m. at A.J.'s Restaurant in Wysox. Mr. Marino had not been drinking, he said.
"Tom hasn't had a drop of alcohol in about 40 years," Mr. Weber said. Mr. Marino also avoids alcohol because he lost a kidney to cancer a few years ago, he said.
Mr. Weber said the accident happened on South Main Street in Towanda.
State police said Ms. Merschbach was headed north and Mr. Marino was driving south. Her 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix veered into Mr. Marino's lane and struck his 2002 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck head on, police said.
"He was driving the speed limit and had his seat belt on," Mrs. Marino said. Ms. Merschbach was also wearing a seatbelt, state police said.
The pickup truck spun 45 degrees counterclockwise before coming to rest. The crash stopped the car at the impact point, police said.
Mr. Marino will probably return to the campaign trail by the end of the week, Mr. Weber said.
In the May 18 primary election, Mr. Marino defeated Snyder County Commissioner Malcolm L. Derk and Lehman Township business consultant David Madeira to earn the Republican nomination to the 10th Congressional District seat. He faces incumbent Democratic Rep. Chris Carney.
Contact the writer: bkrawczeniuk@timesshamrock.com
I asked the Doc about this after my little accident in December (Neither my spleen nor my left kidney made it through the event). Doc said that I could live a normal life without any worries with just the one. Even having beers or coffee (and I drink lots of coffee).
/johnny
I read this on The Daily Review site which is in Towanda, PA! Towanda has become quite congested with all the natural gas drilling going on in Bradford County. I was shocked he wasn’t hit by one of the hundreds of water tankers being driven around here! Our quiet county is GONE!
Seriously, I am glad he wasn’t hurt worse!
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