BY JAMES LOEWENSTEIN
Towanda Daily Review Staff Writer

A 68-year-old man was killed Wednesday, Feb. 25, in a head-on collision on U.S. Route 6 in Standing Stone Township, police said.

William Gorski of Montrose was driving west on Route 6 when, for unknown reasons, his 2005 Dodge Dakota pickup truck crossed the double yellow lines into the eastbound lane, where it struck an oncoming Ford F-550 pickup truck, state police said.

Gorski was pronounced dead at the scene by Bradford County Coroner Thomas Carman, authorities said.

The driver of the Ford pickup truck, Phoulamnao Phouthavong of Riverside, Calif., was uninjured, state police said.
Three passengers in the Ford pickup truck suffered minor injuries and were transported to Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre, state police at Towanda said.

Phouthavong said he had seen the Dodge pickup truck “skidding a little on the (north) side” of the road prior to the collision.

“I thought he would gain control” of the vehicle, Phouthavong said.

Instead, “he came into my lane at 60 or 70 m.p.h. and hit me head on,” Phouthavong said. “It happened so fast, I couldn’t avoid him. I thought I was going to die.”

Phouthavong said the impact pushed his pickup truck off the road.

Gorski, who was not wearing a seat belt, was killed instantly, Carman said. The cause of Gorski’s death was traumatic chest injuries, the coroner said.

Both vehicles were severely damaged, Wysox Fire Chief Brett Keeney said.

The accident occurred at approximately 12:45 p.m. just east of Rummerfield Creek Road, authorities said.

A detour was in place using Route 409, Route 1017, Route 467 and Route 187.