Alexandria “Alex” Womer had so much ahead of her. She just celebrated her 18th birthday on July 7 and walked across the stage as a fresh graduate of Pottsville Area High School. Local folks knew her best as a rising star in the racing world after she took first place in the Super Stock Division at the Pottsville Soap Box Derby, earning her a proud spot at the All-American Soap Box Derby World Championship.
That bright future came to a heartbreaking end on Wednesday night, July 29. Alex was sitting in the front passenger seat of a car hanging out with friends, enjoying a summer evening ride through Schuylkill County. Nobody in that car could have guessed how fast everything would change.
Around 8:16 p.m., the group was riding in a Chevrolet Malibu heading west along Burma Road. They were passing just north of Firetower Road in Blythe Township when the car hit a sharp left-hand curve. That stretch of road is known for tricky bends, and things went wrong in a matter of seconds.
The 19-year-old driver lost control while trying to handle the turn. The Malibu began to slide sideways, spinning about 90 degrees right across the yellow line and straight into oncoming traffic heading east.
At that exact moment, a massive Kenworth tractor-trailer was coming down the opposite lane. With nowhere to turn or stop in time, the heavy truck slammed directly into the passenger side of the Malibu. The impact pushed both vehicles to a stop together on the eastbound side of the road.
Alex was wearing her seatbelt in the front passenger seat, but the brunt of the collision happened right where she was sitting. Emergency responders rushed to the scene on Burma Road, but Alex suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead right there at the site.
The crash left four other young people injured. The 19-year-old driver was rushed to Lehigh Valley Hospital-East with serious injuries. Two teenage passengers, ages 16 and 17, were also severely hurt, while a 14-year-old boy managed to escape with minor injuries.
State troopers from the Frackville barracks are still investigating what led up to the wreck. As of Thursday afternoon, police haven’t released the name of the truck driver or filed any criminal charges. Meanwhile, the community in Pottsville is left grieving a sweet, talented girl whose dreams were cut way too short on a quiet country road.
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