Centre County woman hospitalized, seriously injured in high-speed Penns Valley crash
Update: Elizabeth Potalivo, 36, of Spring Mills, died as a result of the crash. An updated story can be found here.
A Centre County woman was seriously injured Thursday in a high-speed crash that saw her SUV go airborne for nearly half the distance of a football field.
The 36-year-old Gregg Township woman crashed about 5:40 p.m. Thursday, state police at Rockview wrote in a crash report released Friday.
She was driving a 2013 Nissan Rogue eastbound on state Route 45 in Potter Township until she crossed into the oncoming lane, off the rural road and then into a cattle fence, police wrote.
She continued through a field and her vehicle became airborne for about 120 feet, or 40 yards. The vehicle then rolled an unknown amount of times, police wrote.
The woman was not wearing her seat belt and was ejected while the vehicle overturned, police wrote. She was flown by medical helicopter to UPMC Williamsport for treatment of numerous substantial injuries, police wrote.
No charges were filed as of Friday afternoon pending the outcome of an investigation. Penns Valley EMS, the Centre Hall Fire Co. and Walk’s Towing assisted.
There were 23 crashes with serious injuries between 2014 and 2023 in Potter Township, state Department of Transportation data showed. That was the most of any of the seven municipalities in Penns Valley.
This story was originally published January 10, 2025 at 2:01 PM.