Christian Beiler lived in Gap and was known for the produce stand he ran in Thorndale, Chester County.

And he was getting ready to open another stand just a few miles away, area officials said.

But in a tragic accident, the 69-year-old Beiler was killed early Monday afternoon when he was struck by a car whose driver allegedly went through a red light.

It happened at the site where Beiler was planning his new stand, at the Chester County intersection of Route 30 and Route 10, or the Octorara Trail.

Police said Beiler was talking to a motorist parked in a produce store parking lot near the intersection when a Mercedes-Benz that had run a red light struck him and the other vehicle.

The 12:30 p.m. crash occurred some three miles east of the Lancaster County line.

Beiler was killed by the impact, and the operators of three vehicles involved plus one passenger were taken to Lancaster General Hospital for treatment, police said.

The Route 30-Route 10 intersection was closed in all directions for about five hours while emergency crews and police were at the scene, according to press reports.

State police from Embreeville said in news reports that the crash unfolded as a car driven by Julianna Swede, 68, of Parkesburg, who was northbound on Route 10, ran a red light at Route 30.

Swede's car struck an eastbound 2007 Toyota Camry driven by Rose Migdal, 23, of Coatesville, careened through the intersection, left the road and then entered the produce store parking lot.

That was where Beiler was struck and fatally injured, and the Mercedes also struck a 2003 Dodge Grand Caravan driven by Samuel Storm, 65, of Coatesville.

Beiler was pronounced dead at the scene, local newspaper reports said.

Beiler was said to be planning a grand opening of his new stand within several days.

The accident happened on the border of Chester County's West Sadsbury and Sadsbury townships, just north of Parkesburg.

The injured were taken to Lancaster General Hospital. An LGH spokesman Monday said Storm was in critical condition. Swede and Eva Kujat, 71, a passenger in the Mercedes, both were in serious condition.

Migdal, the other driver, was treated and released, according to reports.

Trooper Brandon Corby of the Embreeville barracks was unavailable for comment today.

The crash remains under investigation. Police ask anyone who witnessed the crash to contact the state police at Embreeville at (484) 340-3241.


Staff writer David O'Connor can be reached at doconnor@LNPnews.com or 481-6033.