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LEHIGH VALLEY WEATHER

Allentown woman charged with homicide by vehicle in Washington Twp crash

District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan and Capt. Seth J. Kelly, Pennsylvania State Police Troop M Commanding Officer announce a woman is charged in a fatal wrong-way crash that occurred in 2025 on the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

Onanyeli Rosario-Mesa, 25, of Allentown, is charged with felony counts of homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence, homicide by vehicle and other charges including involuntary manslaughter, recklessly endangering another person, driving under the influence/unsafe driving, DUI/BAC 0.10 to 0.16 percent, careless driving – unintentional death and one-way roadways – driving on one-way roadway.

An arrest warrant has been filed for Rosario-Mesa, but she remains at large.

Anyone with information about her is asked to call 911.

According to Holihan, around 9 a.m. March 30, Pennsylvania State Police were called to a three-vehicle crash on Interstate 476 northbound at mile marker 67.0 in Washington Township.

Several witnesses had called 911 and said a vehicle driven by Rosario-Mesa was driving the wrong way in the northbound lanes when her vehicle hit several motorcyclists.

There were two damaged motorcycles at the scene.

One driver, identified as 50-year-old John Sweeney Jr., was deceased at the scene.

Sweeney died from blunt force injuries due to a motorcycle/motor vehicle crash and his death was ruled accidental by the Lehigh County Coroner.

Several witnesses as well as video surveillance footage showed Rosario-Mesa’s vehicle driving southbound in the northbound lanes, passing several vehicles that pulled to the side of the road to avoid her.

The investigation also revealed Rosario-Mesa’s vehicle struck the group of motorcyclists, killing the victim and endangering several others.

This case was investigated by Trooper Brian Hrycyszn of the Pennsylvania State Police and will be prosecuted by Chief Deputy District Attorney V. Paul Bernardino III.

Onanyeli Rosario-Mesa, of Allentown, is charged with the March 30, 2025 fatal wrong-way crash in Washington Township.PHOTO COURTESY LEHIGH COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE