EAST HANOVER TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A 21-year-old Maryland woman died in a crash on Interstate 81 in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, early Wednesday, May 28, 2025, after losing control of her SUV on a wet road and striking a parked flatbed truck. The Pennsylvania State Police identified the woman as Joscelynne Pannone, a volunteer firefighter from Waldorf, Maryland. The accident occurred around 2:30 a.m. in the southbound lanes near Exit 80, Route 743/Grantville/Hershey, closing the interstate for over four hours.
Pannone was driving southbound when her SUV veered onto the right shoulder and collided with a stationary tractor-trailer near mile marker 79.5, close to a rest area exit ramp, according to PennDOT. The Dauphin County Coroner’s Office ruled her death accidental, citing multiple traumatic injuries. The occupant of the truck was unharmed, police said. Rain-soaked roads contributed to the crash, which remains under investigation.
The southbound lanes of Interstate 81 were closed between Exit 80, Route 743/Grantville/Hershey, and Exit 77, Route 39/Manada Hill/Hershey, until approximately 6:45 a.m., causing significant delays. State police and PennDOT managed the scene, redirecting traffic while emergency responders attended to the wreckage.
Pannone was an active member of the Waldorf Volunteer Fire Department, joining in September 2021, according to a statement on the department’s Facebook page. She initially served with EMS Division 3 before transferring to Fire Division 3. Pannone also contributed to the fire prevention program at Company 3 while pursuing her education. Prior to Waldorf, she volunteered with the Potomac Heights Volunteer Fire Department. “Please keep her family, and friends in your thoughts and prayers,” the department wrote, noting that funeral details would be shared later.
James Rose, Pannone’s father and a fire service member, shared a heartfelt tribute on his Facebook page. “I really don’t have the words right now other than life is fragile, life is precious, and life is short,” he wrote. “Choose kindness over anger and hate and take care of your brothers and sisters in the firehouse especially in times like these. … 21 years old is simply too young, like so many before you and some since you, I considered you all my kids and it was my responsibility to keep you safe and by and large I think I accomplished that. I would have put myself in that car this morning if it meant you could live. Rest in Peace Sweet Angel.”
