Juan Diaz: Fatal Truck Accident on Route 22 in Bethlehem Township, Northampton County, PA, Reported November 05, 2026

Juan Diaz, 35, of Newark, New Jersey, died after his truck overturned during a state police pursuit on Route 22 in Bethlehem Township, Northampton County, Pennsylvania. The fatal crash was reported November 5, 2026.

State police said the encounter began with a traffic stop in Hanover Township just after 10 p.m. Wednesday. Diaz initially pulled over but then drove away, prompting troopers to pursue the truck. The reported time marked the traffic stop, not the rollover.

During the pursuit, the truck traveled east in Route 22’s westbound lanes, according to state police. A trooper attempted to stop it using a Precision Immobilization Technique, or PIT, maneuver. The truck then left the roadway and overturned in a grassy area.

Troopers provided medical assistance to Diaz at the scene. He was taken to a hospital, where he later died.

The Lehigh County coroner said an autopsy was scheduled for Friday. The office was also seeking help locating Diaz’s family or next of kin so they could be notified.

Officials said Diaz might also be known as Jose Diaz Sanchez and listed his last known address as Newark, New Jersey. Anyone with information that could help locate relatives was asked to contact the Lehigh County Coroner’s Office at 610-782-3426 or danielbuglio@lehighcounty.org.

People who live or work near Route 22 expressed concern after learning of the death. Bethlehem Township resident Lemuel Amaro described the news as saddening but said another crash on the highway was not surprising to him.

April Flores, who said she works off Nazareth Pike and drives Route 22 daily, described frequent congestion and a mix of cars and tractor-trailers. She characterized the junction she uses as tight and expressed distress about fatal crashes. Her comments described her commuting experience, not an official finding about this crash.