Sheshequin Township, PA (Aug. 28, 2026) – A 20-year-old motorcyclist was killed in a crash with a tractor-trailer in Bradford County, Pennsylvania State Police said.
Levent K. Van Helden, 20, of Towanda, was riding a Kawasaki motorcycle south on Sheshequin Road, south of Goose Hollow Road in Sheshequin Township. The crash happened at about 6:31 p.m. on Aug. 28, according to police.
According to the crash report, Matthew J. Shellenhamer, 52, of Lititz, was driving a Kenworth tractor-trailer north on Sheshequin Road at the same time. Troopers say Shellenhamer attempted to make a left turn in front of the motorcycle, resulting in the collision.
After the crash, the tractor-trailer continued a short distance before coming to a controlled stop. It ended up facing west on a dirt road off Sheshequin Road, police said. The motorcycle came to an uncontrolled stop in the southbound lane.
This is a developing story. Details may change as the investigation continues.
Losing a young rider in the seconds it takes another driver to misjudge a turn changes a family’s life forever. No one should have to search for answers alone.
Fatal Motorcycle Accidents in Northern Pennsylvania
A left turn made in front of an oncoming motorcyclist is one of the most common, and most preventable, causes of a fatal motorcycle crash. It also raises real questions about who else may share responsibility.
- Who may be liable: the driver who turned into the motorcycle’s path, and potentially the trucking company that owns or operates the tractor-trailer
- What investigators examine: hours-of-service records, dispatch and load logs, the truck’s black box data, and any federal safety violations
- Preserve scene evidence early, including photos of where both vehicles came to rest and any skid or gouge marks left on the road
- Motorcyclists are often unfairly blamed after a crash like this, even when the other driver failed to yield the right of way
- Pennsylvania follows a modified comparative negligence rule (42 Pa.C.S. Section 7102), so a rider can still recover as long as they are found 50 percent or less at fault
Can more than one party be held responsible for this crash? Yes. Depending on what the investigation shows, both the driver and the trucking company that put him on the road that day could share responsibility.
What does a wrongful death claim in Pennsylvania cover? It can include funeral and burial costs, the financial support Van Helden would have provided, and the loss of his companionship and guidance.
Does it matter that Van Helden was riding a motorcycle rather than a car? Not on its own. Pennsylvania negligence law does not treat a motorcyclist differently, so his family’s claim is evaluated the same way any other traffic death would be.
Under Pennsylvania law, a family generally has two years from the date of a fatal crash to file a wrongful death claim (42 Pa.C.S. Section 8301). In this case, that deadline is Aug. 28, 2028.
A Northern Pennsylvania motorcycle accident lawyer can help a family look into the trucking company’s own records, not just the driver’s account of the turn.
Contact Our Motorcycle Accident Attorneys
Losing a 20-year-old to a crash that should have been avoidable is a loss no family is prepared for. There is no need to rush into any decisions right now.
Stanley Law Offices has represented Northern Pennsylvania families in motorcycle and commercial truck crash cases for more than 90 combined years from our Montrose office. Led by board-certified trial attorney Joe Stanley, our Montrose, PA motorcycle accident attorney can look closely at why the truck turned into Van Helden’s path that evening.
A case against a trucking company is not the same as an ordinary car accident claim. It often means dealing with a company’s insurer and legal team from the very start. That is not something a grieving family should have to face without help.
A commercial truck’s black box data, driver logs, and the company’s dispatch and maintenance records are often only kept for a limited time. Preserving them early matters.
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