Port Matilda man, Philipsburg woman killed in crash on U.S. Route 322, coroner’s office says
A Port Matilda man and a Philipsburg woman were killed Wednesday in a head-on crash on a major highway in Centre County.
Craig W. Hockinson, 61, and Heather L. Ryder, 35, died about 2:30 p.m. Wednesday in the crash on the 2400 block of U.S. Route 322 in Rush Township, Chief Deputy Coroner JD Kubalak wrote in a statement Thursday.
A cause and manner of death was not provided. Kubalak said one autopsy was completed Thursday and another is scheduled for Friday.
The driver of a third vehicle was unable to avoid the crash and was injured, a state police at Rockview spokesman said. Other details, including the condition of the driver, have not been released.
Route 322 was closed for nearly three hours between Port Matilda and Philipsburg. Moshannon Valley EMS, Mountain Top EMS, the Philipsburg Fire Department and the Port Matilda Fire Co. were among the agencies that assisted.
There were a dozen fatal crashes during the past decade in Rush Township, state Department of Transportation data showed. That was the most of any municipality in Centre County.
This story was originally published May 30, 2024 at 11:47 AM.