Millsboro – At 5:11 p.m., Saturday afternoon, rescued crews and the Delaware State Police responded to the intersection of Mt. Joy Road and Townsend Road for reports of a vehicle accident with multiple injuries.
As crews responded to the scene, dispatchers diverted Trooper 2 (Delaware State Police Aviation) from an ongoing police search, asking them to respond to the crash site. Upon arrival, crews reported that there were four patients with injuries, three children and one adult male.
Investigators with the Delaware State Police learned through their investigation that James N. Cannon, 38, of Delmar, the driver of a 2009 GMC Sierra pickup truck, was stopped at a stop sign at the intersection, according to Public Information Officer, Master Corporal Michael Austin.
The four people injured in the crash, a 34-year-old Milford man and three children were traveling southbound on Mt. Joy Road in a 2007 Toyota Highlander. Austin said the Highlander proceeded through the intersection with Townsend Road, with the right of way. Cannon failed to remain stopped and pulled out directly into the path of the Toyota, at which time the two vehicles collided in the intersection where they came to rest, according to Austin.
The driver of Toyota and two children, a 6-year-old and 18-month-old, were transported to Beebe Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The fourth patient, a 4-year-old, was transported to AI DuPont Hospital for Children with serious injuries, via Trooper 2.
Cannon and a 34-year-old female passenger in his vehicle were also treated at Beebe Hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. A second passenger in his vehicle was not injured.
Austin said further investigation determined that alcohol impairment was a contributing factor on Cannon’s behalf. After he was discharged from the hospital he was transported to Troop 4 where he was formally charged with Vehicular Assault 1st Degree, Vehicular Assault 2nd Degree (4 counts), DUI Alcohol, Fail to Remain Stopped at a Stop Sign and Driving Suspended.
Cannon was arraigned in Justice of the Peace Court #3 and then committed to Sussex Correctional Institution, where he is being held in lieu of $8600.00 secured bail.
Correction: Earlier headline stated that four children were injured. The correct number is three.
