The Ephrata Police Department recently concluded the investigation of a pedestrian struck crash which occurred at the intersection of North State Street and Pine Street, Ephrata Borough, on October 20, 2021.  The pedestrian, Judith M. Breger, 69, of Ephrata, died as a result of injuries from the collision on October 23, 2021. Breger, while crossing North State Street, was struck by a Boyo Transportation Services van driven by Lori K. Kempisty, 47, of Ephrata. 

Ephrata Police reconstructed the crash using multiple sources of evidence.  The most telling piece of evidence was drive camera footage from the transport van.  The investigation of this accident revealed that, while stopped at an intersection with a four-way stop sign, Kempisty carelessly failed to visually clear the intersection.  Although Kempisty looked for cars, she did not notice other hazards.  Inattentional blindness, the failure to notice an object or events when attention is directed toward a primary task or target, is occasionally a factor in pedestrian, bicycle and motorcycle crashes.  This failure caused Kempisty not to see Breger, a pedestrian legally crossing the roadway in a crosswalk.  Kempisty has been charged with Careless Driving Resulting in Unintentional Death.  Kempisty is presumed innocent.