Elderly Woman Passes After Car Flew Through Air into Pond Near Pennsylvania Casino

Two elderly individuals are now dead following a car crash that resulted in one vehicle flying into a pond near a Pennsylvania casino.

Jeanette Radzikowski, an 89-year-old woman, was pronounced dead at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Muhlenberg on Friday morning. She was the passenger of a car that veered off the nearby road and was submerged in a retention pond near Mount
Airy Casino Resort in Paradise Township.

John Radzikowski Jr., 82, was found dead in the driver's seat immediately after the crash.

Fatal crash near Pennsylvania Casino

Jeanette, a resident of Dickson City, was ruled deceased at 11:25 a.m. on Friday. Her death was described as “accidental” from a complication of blunt force injuries, according to the Lehigh County Coroner.

The woman had been riding in the car driven by John on July 29. The car went airborne and landed in the retention pond before it was noticed by onlookers at around 3:47 p.m., according to the police.

John was pronounced dead on the scene at around 6:00 p.m. Jeanette was rescued and rushed to the hospital while still clinging to life.

Investigators later determined that the car hit a small rock curb and was sent into the air before it landed in the small body of water. It is unclear what led to the crash.

Mount Airy Casino later released a statement, noting that the two individuals had not been served at their property prior to the crash.

“Our immediate priority and focus remain on the well-being of the individuals involved and their loved ones. Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with the family, and everyone affected during this difficult time,” the statement read. “We want to extend our sincere gratitude to the local police department, fire department, EMS, and all first responders who arrived on the scene so quickly. Their rapid response, professionalism, and dedication during this emergency were truly commendable.”

Twice in one week

Pennsylvania State Police - Stroudsburg Station is still investigating the incident and has not revealed any further information.

It is also unknown if another vehicle was involved in or caused the accident by forcing the car driven by Radzikowski to swerve off the road, or through some other influence. 

Mount Airy Casino is in Mt Pocono, a borough in Monroe County that is part of the larger well-known Pocono Mountains. The casino is open 24/7 and offers live-dealer table games, blackjack, slot machines, and other common attractions. 

Crime is typically fairly low in Mt. Pocono. In an unrelated incident, a 46-year-old man was struck by a car while crossing the 1400 block of Route 611 (Pocono Boulevard) last weekend. 

The unidentified victim was thrown about 20 feet from the site of the impact, which occurred at around 9:20 p.m. He was airlifted to the hospital.

WFMZ included comments from local business owners, who claimed that drivers and pedestrians alike both needed to be better protected in the area.