Katie Stoltzfus, 3 Children Dead, Several Injured in Lower Chanceford Twp, PA Tractor Accident
York County, PA — July 29, 2022, Katie Stoltzfus and three children died and several other children were injured when a tractor crashed in Lower Chanceford Township.
According to reports the incident happened Friday on Furnace Road near Indian Steps Road. Preliminary reports suggest Stoltzfus and 11 children were riding on a flatbed trailer hitched to a tractor, headed to the Otter Creek Recreation Area, when the tractor's driver lost control for unknown reasons. The tractor left the roadway and its trailer overturned, then rolled down an embankment. All the passengers were ejected from the trailer during the rollover.
Stoltzfus, 36, and two of her children ages 14 and 7 were fatally injured in the accident. A 9-year-old boy not related to them also died. Several other children and the tractor's adult driver were taken to area hospitals with various injuries.
The accident is still under investigation. No further information is currently available.
Commentary on Katie Stoltzfus Accident in Lower Chanceford Twp
This is clearly a heart-wrenching situation and my deepest sympathies go out to the victims and their families. It's baffling how things could have taken such a turn, and I hope investigators are doing everything they can to figure it out. Getting answers for the people affected is the first and foremost step.
Depending on what some of those answers turn out to be, there may also be questions of accountability to address. I'm not pointing fingers or claiming to know more than preliminary reports say, but learning precisely how the accident happened could mean someone should answer for its devastating results. How fast was the tractor moving? Was it in good repair? Was the trailer hitched to it correctly? Was the driver employed by someone to transport people that way, or was he just a good-natured local? What's the condition of the road in that area? Is it paved and well-maintained? Does it drop off sharply on either side? If so, are there warning signs or any preventive measures to stop things like this from happening?
The point of these questions and the many others like them is not to overcomplicate things or make accusations. As I said before, it's just paramount to get people real and helpful information--and depending on what that information shows, possibly further steps would also be warranted. Will law enforcement dedicate the time and care needed to properly explain what happened here?
