Jaindl Family Member Killed in South Whitehall Crash

Personal tragedy continues to plague Lehigh County's prominent Jaindl family, known for extensive land holdings and turkey farming.

The son-in-law of the late Fredrick  Jaindl Sr. was killed Tuesday night in38th

A Lehigh County Deputy Coroner said James L. Leuthe, 69, of 3730 Golf Course Road, North Whitehall, died following a one-vehicle accident late Tuesday night. Leuthe, a former bank executive whose career was tainted by scandal, was married to Fred Jaindl's daughter, Catherine.

Leuthe died seven years to the day that his father-in-law was killed in an automobile accident, according to this report.

Police said Leuthe’s vehicle struck a tree at the South Whitehall location.

Zondlo said Leuthe was pronounced dead at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest at 10:45pm. The cause of death was multiple trauma injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident, according to Zondlo, with the manner of death accidental.

The crash remains under investigation by South Whitehall police.

It is the third time an automobile accident has claimed the life of a Jaindl family member in fewer than 20 years.

Jaindl Sr. perished at age 76 in a March 2004 accident, and his son, Fredrick  "Ricky" Jaindl Jr. was killed at age 42 in a one-car accident in North Whitehall Township on Dec. 10, 1994. 

The Jaindl family are prominent members of the Lehigh County business community, operating a turkey farm based in Orefield and a well-known land development company that is one of the largest property owners and developers in the Lehigh Valley.

Published reports say Leuthe was the founder of the former First Lehigh Bank of Walnutport and was involved in real estate development, trucking, coal reprocessing, leasing and heavy equipment manufacturing.