New Jersey motorist crashes into oncoming traffic after swatting bug, killing two riders

Police reports say Bernadette Cobb, a 55-year-old resident of Brick, New Jersey, was driving east on a two-lane road near Luthersburg, Pennsylvania, when an insect entered her open window around 4:45 p.m. on Aug. 12. She swatted at the bug, unintentionally dropping her head and causing the car to drift into oncoming traffic. A passenger tried to correct the steering, but the vehicle still collided with a 2013 Harley-Davidson ridden by Anthony Sones, 34, and his passenger Miranda Wormuth, 30, who were both killed instantly.

Pennsylvania State Troopers confirmed the fatalities at the scene. Cobb was taken into custody, charged with homicide and involuntary manslaughter, and released on $100,000 bail. Her lawyer, Brian Manchester, described the crash as a tragic accident and said the defense would be robust. A GoFundMe set up by Wormuth’s family notes the couple had been partners for 14 years.