Multi-vehicle crash blocks lanes of I-81, causes extensive backlog

IMPACTING VOLUNTEERS IN THE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY. WGAL NEWS 8. TODAY STARTS NOW. GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY. IT IS 5:00. THANKS FOR STARTING YOUR DAY WITH US. IT IS THE 28TH OF MAY. I'M MATT BARCARO. I'M KATELYN SMITH REGINA. GOT A LOOK AT OUR MORNING COMMUTE. AND CHRISTINE IS HERE WITH OUR FORECAST, WHICH A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO. YEAH. IF YOU WEREN'T A FAN OF THE HUMIDITY THAT WE HAD YESTERDAY WAS KIND OF SOUPY. IT WAS KIND OF GROSS FOR THIS TIME OF THE YEAR ANYWAY. WE ARE GOING TO SEE A DECREASE IN HUMIDITY AND THAT'S REALLY OUR MAIN HEADLINE. LOOK AT THIS TODAY, TOMORROW, SATURDAY, SUNDAY. SO FOR THE NEXT FOUR DAYS YOU'RE GOING TO ENJOY PLEASANT HUMIDITY LEVELS. NOW WE DO HAVE THIS BOUNDARY COMING THROUGH THIS MORNING. JUST A QUICK SPRINKLE HERE. JUST MOVE THROUGH LEWISTOWN MOVING THROUGH JUNIATA PERRY COUNTIES. NEXT NORTHERN DAUPHIN COUNTY MIGHT GET JUST A QUICK SPLASH AND DASH HOUR. AND THEN THE HUMIDITY WILL BE DROPPING CONSIDERABLY. LOOK AT OUR TEMPERATURES. WE'RE IN THE 60S IN MOST SPOTS THIS MORNING. DEW POINTS ARE COMING DOWN 48 IN LEWISTOWN. THAT'S COMFY STUFF, 54 IN HARRISBURG, BUT IT'S STILL NEAR 60 IN YORK. SO WATCH FOR THAT FALLING HUMIDITY. NEXT FEW HOURS. HERE'S THE 12 HOUR FORECAST. TEMPERATURE WISE, WE SHOULD BE UP AROUND 76 TODAY. NOTICE THE WIND SPEEDS ARE GOING TO BE UP AS WELL 10 TO 20MPH. SO IT'S BREEZY, PLEASANT AND COMFORTABLE. HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO SAY THOSE WORDS LATELY. FOUR TIMES IN A ROW. NOT BAD AT ALL. IT WILL BE NICE TO JUST SIT OUTSIDE AND NOT HAVE A DEW ALL DAY. ALL RIGHT. 501 ON THE CLOCK ON YOUR THURSDAY MORNING. GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY. HOPEFULLY YOU'RE DOING WELL RIGHT NOW. WE'RE LOOKING GOOD ACROSS THE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY. REALLY NO CRASHES OR INCIDENTS TO SLOW YOU DOWN, SO YOU SHOULD BE GOOD TO GO. TAKING A PEEK OUTSIDE. HERE'S A SOUTH BRIDGE FOR YOU. OVER IN DAUPHIN COUNTY, HARRISBURG THERE. AND YOU CAN SEE THAT REFLECTION IN THE WATER. BEAUTIFUL DRIVE THIS MORNING OVER THE SOUTH BRIDGE. AND IF YOU ARE HEADING OUT OF HARRISBURG TO CAMP HILL, FIVE MINUTE COMMUTE THERE TO CARLISLE, 21 AND A 15 MINUTE DRIVE TO HERSHEY. WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER UPDATE IN TRAFFIC IN ABOUT FIVE MINUTES. THIS HAS BEEN A LANCASTER TOYOTA TRAFFIC REPORT. WE'VE BEEN FOLLOWING THE RISE IN GAS PRICES SINCE THE START OF THE WAR IN IRAN. THE STATE AVERAGE FOR A GALLON OF REGULAR IS 456 THIS MORNING. THAT'S DOWN $0.09 FROM A WEEK AGO. BUT THE STATE AVERAGE STILL UP $1.42 A GALLON SINCE THE START OF THE WAR. WE HAVE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE AVERAGES FOR THE COUNTIES IN THE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY AS OF THIS MORNING. THEY ARE ALL BELOW THE STATE AVERAGE. THOSE HIGH PRICES, THOUGH, ARE AFFECTING VOLUNTEERS, INCLUDING THOSE AT MEALS ON WHEELS WHO SAY THEY'RE FEELING THE STRAIN WHILE STILL TRYING TO MAKE SURE THEIR CLIENTS GET THEIR MEALS. NEWS EIGHT'S GABRIEL THOMAS IS JOINING US LIVE IN LANCASTER COUNTY WITH HOW THEY ARE MANAGING TO DELIVER THAT NEED DESPITE THESE COSTS. GOOD MORNING GABRIELLE. GOOD MORNING MATT AND KATELYN. WELL, MEALS ON WHEELS DRIVERS ARE PAYING OUT OF POCKET TO DELIVER MEALS TO THOSE IN NEED. AND THEY SAY THE COST IS REALLY GETTING EXPENSIVE TO FILL UP. NOW THEY SAY THEY'RE PAYING MORE THAN $15 THAN THEY. AND THEN THEY PAID LAST YEAR TO FILL UP THEIR TANKS. AND WITH MORE THAN 400 MEALS BEING DELIVERED EACH DAY ALONG MULTIPLE ROUTES ACROSS LANCASTER COUNTY, THOSE EXPENSES CAN QUICKLY ADD UP. NOW, SOME VOLUNTEERS SAY THEY ARE NOW USING DIFFERENT VEHICLES OR GAS APPS TO FIND THE LOWEST PRICES, OFTEN FILLING UP IN LESS EXPENSIVE PARTS OF THE COUNTY. ONE VOLUNTEER TOLD US IT NOW COSTS HER ABOUT $45 TO FILL UP HER TANK. WHILE SOME OF HER COLLEAGUES SAY THEY'RE SPENDING BETWEEN 55 AND $60 MULTIPLE TIMES A WEEK ON GAS, I THINK THE UNCERTAINTY OF THE UP AND DOWN AND UP AND DOWN IS WEARYING. IT'S HARD. IT'S HARD TO FEEL LIKE YOU'RE GETTING VALUE FOR YOUR DOLLAR WHEN IT CHANGES OVERNIGHT. INEXPLICABLY. LISA SAYS. DESPITE THE UNPREDICTABLE GAS PRICES, SHE WILL CONTINUE TO SERVE THOSE IN NEED. COMING UP AT 530, THOUGH, I'LL INTRODUCE YOU TO ANOTHER VOLUNTEER WHO NOT ONLY DELIVERS MEALS, BUT SHE ALSO SERVES IN THE KITCHEN. SHE'S FEELING THAT IMPACT FIRSTHAND. REPORTING LIVE HERE IN LANCASTER COUNTY. I'M GABRIELLE THOMAS, WGAL NEWS EIGHT. SOUNDS LIKE THEY'RE STILL GETTING THE JOB DONE, SO WE THANK THOSE VOLUNTEERS FOR TAKING SOME EXTRA CASH OUT OF THEIR OWN POCKETS TO DELIVER THE MEALS. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. GABRIELLE. WE ARE FOLLOWING SOME BREAKING DEVELOPMENTS OVERNIGHT IN THE MIDDLE EAST, WHERE THE U.S. AND IRAN FIRED AT EACH OTHER AGAIN FOR THE SECOND TIME THIS WEEK. PRESIDENT TRUMP SAYS IRAN IS INCREASINGLY DESPERATE. WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT RACHEL HIRSCHHEIMER HAS WHAT WE ARE LEARNING ABOUT THESE LATEST STRIKES. SOURCES TELL THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND SHOT DOWN IRANIAN DRONES THAT POSED A THREAT AROUND THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ. WE'RE ALSO LEARNING THAT KUWAIT, A KEY U.S. ALLY, ALSO TOOK ON FIRE. THESE NEW STRIKES CAME AFTER U.S. FORCES CARRIED OUT WHAT THE PENTAGON CALLED DEFENSIVE STRIKES IN SOUTHERN IRAN MONDAY. ULTIMATELY, THE PRESIDENT IS LOOKING FOR A DEAL THAT WILL REOPEN THE STRAIT AND ELIMINATE IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM. ON WEDNESDAY, PRESIDENT TRUMP SAID THE AGREEMENT SHOULD REQUIRE SEVERAL COUNTRIES, INCLUDING SAUDI ARABIA, QATAR AND PAKISTAN, TO JOIN THE ABRAHAM ACCORDS. THAT'S THE U.S. BROKERED AGREEMENTS AIMED AT NORMALIZING RELATIONS BETWEEN ISRAEL AND OTHER COUNTRIES. THE PRESIDENT ALSO REINFORCED THAT AN AGREEMENT WITH IRAN NEEDS TO BE PERFECT. I THINK WE'RE DOING VERY WELL. THEY ARE STARTING TO GIVE US THE THINGS THAT THEY HAVE TO GIVE US, AND IF THEY DO, THAT'S GREAT, AND IF THEY WON'T, THEN THE MAN ON MY LEFT IS GOING TO FINISH THEM OFF. PRESIDENT TRUMP SAYS IF A DEAL IS REACHED, ENERGY PRICES WILL DROP IMMEDIATELY. ONCE THE WAR IS OVER. TODAY, TRIPLE A IS REPORTING THE NATIONAL AVERAGE FOR A GALLON OF REGULAR GAS IS 4.43. THAT'S UP ABOUT $1.50 SINCE THE WAR STARTED THREE MONTHS AGO TODAY IN WASHINGTON. RACHEL HIRSCHHEIMER WGAL NEWS 8. THANK YOU. RACHEL. GOVERNOR SHAPIRO IS HIGHLIGHTING HIS PLAN TO MANAGE THE GROWTH OF AI DATA CENTERS HERE IN PENNSYLVANIA. WE CAN SHOW YOU SOME OF THOSE DATA CENTER LOCATIONS. THESE ARE PROPOSED OR EITHER MOVING FORWARD IN THE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY. RIGHT NOW, THE GOVERNOR SAYS THE PLAN IS MEANT TO LIMIT THE COST OF ENERGY BILLS. AND HE SAYS THOSE DATA CENTER DEVELOPERS COULD EVEN GET TAX BREAKS OR FASTER PERMITTING, FROM THE STATE IF THEY COVER THE POWER FOR THEIR FACILITY AND ALSO PAY TO CONNECT IT TO THE GRID. HE OUTLINED THIS PLAN IN HIS BUDGET BACK IN FEBRUARY. PAYING ENTIRELY FOR THE NEW GENERATION THEY'LL NEED AND NOT SADDLING HOMEOWNERS AND BUSINESSES WITH ADDED COSTS BECAUSE OF THEIR DEVELOPMENT. THE PLAN IS VOLUNTARY, BUT THE GOVERNOR IS ASKING FOR LAWMAKERS TO MAKE THE REQUIREMENTS LAW. PEOPLE IN LANCASTER COUNTY CAME OUT TO HEAR LAWMAKERS PROPOSE THEIR TWO BILLS. THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT TO END SCHOOL PROPERTY TAXES. LAST NIGHT'S TOWN HALL AT ELIZABETHTOWN HIGH SCHOOL DISCUSSED THE BILLS IN THE STATE HOUSE AND SENATE. THEY WOULD REPLACE THE MONEY THAT WOULD BE LOST IN CUTTING SCHOOL PROPERTY TAXES BY RAISING THE SALES TAX BY 2%. THE BILLS WOULD ALSO ALLOW SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO RAISE A LOCAL PERSONAL INCOME TAX OF NEARLY 2%, AS WELL. PROPERTY TAXES HAVE BECOME SUCH A BURDEN FOR OUR SENIORS AND FOR OUR YOUNG FAMILIES AS WELL. AND WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT HOUSING AFFORDABILITY AND AVAILABILITY PROBLEMS, THAT PROPERTY TAX, THE PROPERTY TAXES BECOME EVEN MORE BURDENSOME ON OUR FAMILIES. THIS IS A TOPIC THAT RISES TO THE TOP FOR SO MANY PEOPLE WHEN IT COMES TO AFFORDABILITY OF LIVING HERE IN PENNSYLVANIA, AND THE THINGS THAT WE COULD DO TO ADDRESS THAT. REPRESENTATIVE TOM JONES, WHO YOU JUST HEARD FROM, IS SPONSORING THE LEGISLATION IN THE HOUSE, ALONG WITH STATE REPRESENTATIVE WENDY FINK. YOU SEE THERE ON HIS SIDE. SENATOR DON KEEFER ALSO SPONSORING A BILL IN THE STATE SENATE FOR THIS. ALL THREE ARE REPUBLICANS, CITY LEADERS IN YORK ARE GIVING PEOPLE LIVING IN ENCAMPMENTS UNTIL TUESDAY TO MOVE OUT OR POTENTIALLY FACE TRESPASSING CHARGES. THAT IS HOW MUCH TIME IS LEFT AFTER THE CITY GAVE A 30 DAY NOTICE. IT'S CALLING THIS A COMPASSIONATE, CLEAR OUT. COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS HAVE BEEN LETTING PEOPLE KNOW IN THOSE ENCAMPMENTS, LIKE THE ONES IN VANCE PARK, THAT THERE ARE RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR THEM. WE'VE BEEN GOING DOWN TO VANCE AT LEAST TWICE A WEEK FOR THE LAST FEW MONTHS, BUT WE'VE UPPED THAT TO EVERY DAY THIS WEEK. WE'VE BEEN DOWN THERE FOR AT LEAST THREE HOURS EVERY DAY. ROCHE ORGANIZATIONS HAVE ALSO GIVEN OUT HYGIENE KITS AND OFFERED THE PEOPLE A PLACE TO SLEEP AND HOT MEALS. ALL RIGHT. IT IS 507. THIS IS A LOOK FROM OUR EPHRATA SKY CAM. CHRISTINE. IT'S 507 IN THE MORNING, BUT YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE QUITE A DISTANCE THERE IN EPHRATA. AND WE'LL FINALLY GET A SUNRISE TODAY. IT'S BEEN BLOCKED BY FOG AND RAIN THIS WEEK. SO TODAY IT'S LOOKING QUITE NICE. AND IT'S GOING TO BE BREEZY TOO. LET ME SHOW YOU OUR WIND SPEEDS. THEY'RE GOING TO BE PICKING UP TO THE DOUBLE DIGITS LATER THIS MORNING. 10 TO 20 MILE PER HOUR BREEZE OUT OF THE NORTH LATER ON THIS AFTERNOON. AND IT'S ALL COMING IN BEHIND THIS COLD FRONT. SO THE COLD FRONT PASSED A FEW HOURS AGO. THERE'S JUST A TINY LINE OF SHOWERS COMING IN BEHIND THAT FRONT THAT MIGHT THROW A LITTLE SPRINKLE YOUR WAY THIS MORNING, BUT IT'S MOVING VERY QUICKLY. SHOULD BE OUT OF HERE WITHIN THE NEXT HOUR OR HOUR AND A HALF. SO A FEW SHOWERS MAY APPROACH HARRISBURG QUICKLY, BUT THEN YOU'LL SEE CLEARING RIGHT BEHIND IT AND HUMIDITY IS REALLY GOING TO DROP. HERE'S OUR CURRENT TEMPERATURES. WE ARE IN THE 60S AREA WIDE RIGHT NOW, BUT OUR DEW POINTS, THEY ARE COMING DOWN. SO INSTEAD OF THE MUGGINESS THAT YOU FELT YESTERDAY, YOU'RE GOING TO FEEL MORE REFRESHING AIR TODAY. HERE'S A LOOK AT THE WEATHER PLANNER. MOSTLY SUNNY, NOT AS MUGGY THIS MORNING FOR THE AFTERNOON. PARTLY SUNNY AND BREEZY AND THEN PLENTIFUL SUNSHINE. NICE AND REFRESHING LATER THIS EVENING WITH TEMPERATURES IN THE 70S. WINDS DIMINISH TONIGHT. TOMORROW LOOKS FANTASTIC WITH HIGH PRESSURE OVERHEAD. WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE WEEKEND COMING UP. ALL RIGHT. NEW THIS MORNING STATE POLICE IN CARLISLE, CUMBERLAND COUNTY ARRESTED A MAN FOR SELLING A NASCAR TRUCK HE CLAIMED WAS STREET LEGAL. TROOPERS SAY YANCEY CUP, WHO IS FROM WILLIAMSPORT, FACING SEVERAL CHARGES. THEY SAY HE BOUGHT A RACE TRUCK FROM A NASCAR DRIVER, THEN USED A VIN NUMBER FROM ANOTHER VEHICLE TO GET A TITLE FOR THE TRUCK. STATE POLICE SAY CUP ADVERTISED THE TRUCK ON EBAY, SAYING THE NASCAR DRIVER MADE IT STREET LEGAL, WHICH THE DRIVER DENIED. THE TRUCK WAS SOLD AT CARLISLE AUTO AUCTION FOR $10,000, AND THAT'S WHEN INVESTIGATORS CONFIRMED THE TRUCK WAS NOT STREET LEGAL. ONE PERSON IS NOW IN CUSTODY AFTER A 15 YEAR-OLD WAS SHOT AND KILLED IN YORK EARLIER THIS MONTH. DIE QUAL HARRIS DIED AT PENN PARK. INVESTIGATORS SAY THE SHOOTING FOLLOWED A FIGHT INVOLVING A GROUP OF MINORS. LAST WEEK, THE YORK COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY SAID THAT INVESTIGATORS HAD SOLVED THE CASE, BUT THAT POLICE WERE STILL WORKING TO MAKE ARRESTS. THEY HAVE NOT RELEASED THE NAME OF THE PERSON THAT THEY DO HAVE NOW IN CUSTODY, AND THEY SAY THEY ARE STILL LOOKING FOR ANOTHER. THE DA SAYS SURVEILLANCE VIDEO HELPED IDENTIFY THE SUSPECTS. THE UPPER DAUPHIN AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT SAYS STATE POLICE ARRESTED AN 18 YEAR OLD STUDENT AS PART OF AN ONGOING BURGLARY INVESTIGATION. THE DISTRICT SAYS INVESTIGATORS FOUND A WEAPON AND AMMUNITION IN A VEHICLE. THE STUDENT DROVE TO SCHOOL ON TUESDAY. POLICE SAY THE STUDENT INTENDED TO HIDE THAT GUN IN THE CAR AND DID NOT INTEND TO BRING IT INTO SCHOOL. STATE POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING AND SAY ALL THOSE INVOLVED IN THIS BURGLARY INVESTIGATION, WHICH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SAYS HAPPENED AWAY FROM THE SCHOOL, ARE IN CUSTODY. POLICE IN CUMBERLAND COUNTY ARE TRYING TO FIND THIS PERSON WHO THEY SAY TOOK AN E-BIKE RIDE THROUGH A WALMART. THIS HAPPENED AT THE STORE IN HARTSDALE DRIVE. THAT'S BY THE CAPITAL CITY MALL IN LOWER ALLEN TOWNSHIP. IT WAS LAST FRIDAY. LOWER ALLEN TOWNSHIP POLICE SAY THIS IS

Multi-vehicle crash blocks lanes of I-81, causes extensive backlog in Lebanon County

Updated: 1:05 PM EDT May 28, 2026

Editorial Standards ⓘ

Traffic was backed up following a multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 81 in Lebanon County. Video above: Headlines from WGAL News 8 Today. The wreck happened in the southbound lanes in East Hanover Township near the Interstate 78 interchange at Exit 89 around 9:45 a.m. on Thursday. The crash blocked lanes of Interstate 81 southbound, causing an extensive backlog. The northbound lanes also experienced slowdowns due to rubbernecking. The scene has since cleared, and all lanes have reopened. At this time, it’s unclear if anyone was injured. Stay with WGAL for updates as we learn more. See news happening? Send us your photos or videos if it's safe to do so at https://www.wgal.com/upload.

EAST HANOVER TOWNSHIP, Pa. —

Traffic was backed up following a multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 81 in Lebanon County.

Video above: Headlines from WGAL News 8 Today.

The wreck happened in the southbound lanes in East Hanover Township near the Interstate 78 interchange at Exit 89 around 9:45 a.m. on Thursday.

The crash blocked lanes of Interstate 81 southbound, causing an extensive backlog.

The northbound lanes also experienced slowdowns due to rubbernecking.

The scene has since cleared, and all lanes have reopened.

At this time, it’s unclear if anyone was injured.

Stay with WGAL for updates as we learn more.

See news happening? Send us your photos or videos if it's safe to do so at https://www.wgal.com/upload.