Two killed in separate traffic accidents

July 27, 2003|by LAURA ERNDE

Two Tri-State area residents were killed in separate traffic accidents in Franklin County, Pa., this weekend, Pennsylvania State Police said.

Christina Fling, 28, of Hagerstown, died Friday night after she lost control of her vehicle and the camper trailer it was towing on Interstate 81 at 8:38 p.m., police said.

Her Ford Explorer, which was pulling a 24-foot camper, went into the median and overturned two times about 1/2-mile north of Exit 20, police said.

Fling was killed, along with two dogs. Her boyfriend was hurt and taken to Washington County Hospital, police said.

Both were wearing seat belts, police said.

The boyfriend told police they were headed for a camping trip near the New York-Pennsylvania border when the trailer started to sway and Fling lost control.

It took some time for police to notify Fling's family of the death because they were vacationing in Greene County, Va., police said.

Early Saturday morning, Devon Allen Gottfried, 19, of Chambersburg, Pa., died when his 1994 Pontiac Firebird left Lincoln Way West between 3 and 5 a.m., police said.

Gottfried's car was westbound in the 3100 block when it crossed the center lane and the eastbound lane and hit a cement drain pipe, police said.

The car went another 22 feet before it hit a utility pole and went flying into the air, landing on its roof, police said.

Gottfried was not wearing a seat belt, police said.

His uncle, John Gottfried of Chambersburg, Pa., said the family believes he likely fell asleep on his way home from work in Shippensburg, Pa.

"He was a good kid. I didn't have any kids of my own, and he was like a son to me," Gottfried said.

The son of David and Crystal Gottfried, Devon Gottfried graduated last year from James Buchanan High School, his uncle said.

He is survived by two brothers, Corey and Jason, the uncle said.

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