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WNEP
Severe Weather Claims Two Lives
By Jim Hamill
9:58 PM EDT, September 22, 2010


Deadly storms raced through our area Wednesday afternoon. Lycoming County was particularly hit hard by the storms.
The fierce storm rolled through the Muncy area causing utter destruction to homes,a church and worse yet took two lives.
According to state police, two men were killed, James Stoltzfus, 70, of Watsontown and John Herzog Sr. from Rochester, New York. Both men died when a massive tree crushed the truck as they drove out of Muncy Borough in torrential downpours and swirling winds. They have not been identified.
It was wall to wall destruction throughout the Muncy area. One final summer thunderstorm tore century old trees from their roots and with deadly consequences.
Rebecca Noviella Pepper's parents weren't home at the time. Their backyard, however, was turned into a mess of tree limbs and roots.
"The backyard looks like a mine hole that everyone of their large trees has come down and miraculously has not hit any of their buildings or the house behind them," said Pepper.
Closer to downtown Muncy downed trees narrowly missed Brandon Lesko as he was driving in the storm.
"You couldn't see anything around you, because the rain was so thick. Then the one tree fell, luckily I missed that one. I didn't see the one farther down fall, then I stopped just in time to miss this one," said Brandon Lesko of Hughesville.
Many homes took quite a beating and the roof of the First United Methodist Church was blown off.
"We have damage to the ceilings, tiles, carpet and contents inside," said Harold Geise a church trustee.

Church members showed Newswatch 16 the water-soaked Sunday school section of the church as they worked to salvage items from the damaging storm.

"It is fierce when you see the big hunks of steel that are scattered up the field here from this roof," said Geise.
The power is still out to many homes throughout the Muncy area. PPl says it could take several hours still to clean up the mess and restore power.