State police continue to investigate fatal single-vehicle collision near Lake Ariel; driver’s identity not yet released

PAUPACK TWP., WAYNE COUNTY — A 49-year-old Scranton man was killed early Sunday, December 21, 2025, morning after being thrown from a sedan that left a rural Wayne County road and struck multiple trees, authorities said.

Kevin Dexter Laborde was pronounced dead at 4:55 a.m. at the crash scene on Finn Swamp Road between Peifer Road and Goose Pond Road, according to Wayne County Coroner Edward R. Howell.

Chief Deputy Coroner Mark M. James responded to the scene to conduct the death investigation.

Laborde had been riding in the rear seat of the sedan when the vehicle traveled off the roadway and collided with several trees, the coroner’s office said in a news release. The force of the impact ejected Laborde from the vehicle.

Pennsylvania State Police at Honesdale are investigating the crash. As of Monday, troopers had not released a crash report or identified who was driving the sedan at the time of the collision. State police declined to provide additional details, citing the ongoing investigation.

An autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 23, to determine the cause and manner of death.

Ejection crashes often prove fatal

Being thrown from a vehicle in a crash is one of the deadliest outcomes on the road.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data shows that more than 75% of people ejected during fatal crashes die from their injuries. Only about 1% of passengers wearing seat belts are ejected from a vehicle during a collision.

Seatbelts cut the risk of ejection by at least 91% in fatal crashes, according to NHTSA research. It remains unknown whether Laborde was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.

Under Pennsylvania law, adult passengers 18 and older riding in the back seat are not required to wear seatbelts. The law mandates seatbelt use for all drivers, front-seat passengers, and passengers under age 18 in any seating position.

About the coroner

Howell has served as Wayne County coroner since January 2012. In addition to his duties as coroner, he is a Pennsylvania-licensed funeral director and holds a Doctor of Psychology degree with a specialization in thanatology.

James has served as chief deputy coroner under Howell for several years and routinely responds to death investigations throughout Wayne County.

Finn Swamp Road

Finn Swamp Road runs through a rural section of Paupack Township in the Lake Ariel area. The road passes near Finn Swamp, a wetland area that gives the roadway its name.

The crash site at 243 Finn Swamp Road sits in a sparsely populated residential area of the township. Paupack Township had a population of 3,828 as of the 2010 census.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available from Pennsylvania State Police.