A 49-year-old Dauphin County man was killed when his FedEx tractor-trailer overturned around 4:25 a.m. March 31 in the westbound lanes of I-78, near the Krumsville exit in Greenwich Township, Berks County.

Kevin Staab of Highspire, was pronounced dead at 6:06 a.m. by Berks County Deputy Coroner Kurt Katzenmoyer at the scene, Berks County Deputy Coroner Ken Moyer told The Press.

Moyer said Staab died from blunt force trauma to the head. His death was ruled an accident, Moyer said.

According to Trooper David Beohm, public information officer Troop L Reading, Gene Scholler, 46, of Kutztown, was driving a blue Hyundai Elantra when it became disabled on the left shoulder, partially blocking the left lane after striking the center barrier, while trying to avoid a mudflap on the roadway.

Police say Scholler was standing outside his vehicle, when a Freightliner truck tractor with trailer driven by Diomedes Encarnacion, 31, of Allentown, traveling behind the Hyundai, stopped momentarily behind it.

Staab, who was driving a Kenworth truck tractor with trailer behind the Freightliner, was unable to avoid striking the its rear, police say.

The Kenworth then struck the right rear of the Freightliner trailer with its left front, pushing it into the rear passenger side of Hyundai. After impact the Kenworth continued west and swerved into the right lane, before overturning onto its passenger side, partially on the center concrete barrier, blocking both lanes.

There was a small fire in the engine compartment of the Kenworth, which was extinguished by other drivers who stopped at the scene.

Encarnacion, who was wearing his seatbelt, was transported to Lehigh Valley Hospital, Salisbury Township.

I-78 West was closed at Route 100, in Fogelsville, and traffic was diverted at the Route 737, Krumsville exit for some 11-1/2 hours.

The roadway finally reopened around 4 p.m.

According to Weisenberg Township Fire Chief Brian C. Carl, Kutztown, Kempton and Weisenberg fire companies along with Kutztown Emergency Medical Services assisted at the scene.

Macungie Emergency Medical Services provided an ATV to assist with checking the welfare of stranded motorists.

Cetronia Ambulance Corps personnel stood-by at Route 863 and I-78 in case any stranded motorists needed assistance. Fogelsville, New Tripoli, Trexlertown and Lower Macungie fire police assisted with traffic control at Routes 863 and 100 and I-78, Carl said.