A fatal collision late Monday night claimed the life of a 33-year-old Harrisburg man on Interstate 81 in Susquehanna Township. According to the Pennsylvania State Police press release “Crash – Public Information Release,” published July 15, 2025, the wreck occurred at approximately mile marker 68.5 in Dauphin County, where a Ford Fusion plowed into the rear of a stationary tractor-trailer in a marked work zone.
State troopers identified the victim as Dashon M. Banks of Harrisburg. Investigators report the tractor-trailer had stopped to manage a growing traffic backup ahead of a construction zone. Banks, driving at an undetermined speed, failed to decelerate and struck the trailer’s rear, pinning his vehicle beneath the larger rig. He was pronounced dead at 12:37 a.m. by the Dauphin County Coroner’s Office, the release states.
“I heard a sudden, thunderous crash and ran to my porch,” recalled neighbor Timothy Brewer, whose home overlooks that stretch of I-81. “It was chilling—headlights flashed everywhere, then silence. I’ve never seen anything like it.” Brewer’s account is part of exclusive on-the-ground reporting illuminating the accident’s immediate aftermath.
This tragedy underscores longstanding safety concerns in Pennsylvania’s highway work zones. In a joint PennDOT and PSP press event earlier this month, officials noted that reckless driving in construction areas remains a top threat to motorists and crews alike. “Work zone safety is crucial for our state and contract highway workers,” said Mike Reeder, PennDOT’s Assistant District 8 Executive for Construction, in a press release dated July 7, 2025.
Statistics illustrate the risk: in 2024, Pennsylvania logged 1,250 crashes in work zones—resulting in 22 fatalities and 62 suspected serious injuries—according to PSP Communications Director Sergeant Logan T. Brouse. The deadly I-81 crash has since prompted renewed calls from the Susquehanna Township Safety Coalition for enhanced warning systems and automated speed enforcement in active work zones.
Business owners along the corridor have also raised alarms. “We’ve had near misses here before,” said Sarah Delgado, owner of a convenience store near Exit 69. “Bright lights and better signage could save lives.” This week, the coalition plans to deliver a petition to PennDOT’s District 8 office, urging immediate improvements to roadside lighting and sensor-activated alerts.
Pennsylvania State Police continue to investigate the crash, with toxicology results pending. Troopers urge drivers to slow down, stay alert, and obey posted speed limits when approaching any work zone.