Untimely deaths by crashes brought tragedy in 2020 throughout the Times News region. They included:

Joseph Duszak, 76, of Effort, suffered a heart attack and crashed a car he was driving on Jan. 2 on Route 903 in Kidder Township.

Carbon County Coroner Robert Miller said he slumped over the wheel and his car ran off the road and plummeted down an embankment.

Katlyn Tarud, 27, of Beaver Meadows, died in a one-vehicle crash on Jan. 2 in Banks Township. Authorities said she was pregnant at the time.

Police said she was driving a Trailblazer on Spring Mountain Road that went off the road and struck a tree.

A 3-year-old who was a passenger in the vehicle sustained minor injuries, authorities said.

Ginger Rodgers, 64, of Palmerton, died in a one-vehicle crash on March 23 on Mountain Road in Washington Township, Lehigh County.

State police at Bethlehem said she was driving a Kia Sedona that left the road and struck a tree. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Terry A. Gonzalez, 30, of Lansford, died on July 14 when a motorcycle he was operating on Stock Street in Hauto, Nesquehoning, was struck by a Hyundai SUV. Gonzalez was en route to the Hauto area to drop off his daughter’s bathing suit when the SUV crossed the double yellow line and smashed into the cycle.

The driver of the SUV, Jeremy White, 37, of Maryland, was charged with homicide by motor vehicle while under the influence, as well as other charges.

Gary L. Nothstein Jr., 37, of West Penn Township, died in an ATV crash on Aug. 2 on his family’s farm on Eagle View Drive in the township.

He was pronounced dead by Schuylkill County Coroner David Moylan.

It was the second fatal ATV crash in the area that weekend, as 27-year-old Eric Bachert of Tamaqua died the previous day in a separate incident in Nesquehoning.

A Reading Blue Mountain and Northern freight train struck and killed Melissa Merenda, 39, on Nov. 5 in Ryan Township.

Authorities said she was walking on the railroad tracks when the train, believed to be going 29 mph, could not stop.

Schuylkill County Deputy Coroner Al Barnes pronounced Merenda dead at the scene.

Marlena Ann Direnzo, 20, died in a two-vehicle crash on Dec. 23 on Route 443 in West Penn Township.

She was pronounced dead at the scene just past the intersection with Mantzville Road.

Schuylkill County Coroner David Moylan said weather could have been a factor in the crash.

Palmerton family continues annual holiday decorating tradition