Delaware State Police are investigating a fatal pedestrian crash that occurred this morning on southbound I-95 south of the Brandywine River Bridge, according to Public Information Officer, Senior Corporal Jason Hatchell.
Hatchell said on August 22, 2021, at approximately 4:13 a.m., a black 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee was traveling southbound on Interstate 95 through a construction zone and struck a crash attenuator positioned in the gore area between the single southbound lane of travel and the exit ramp for Delaware Avenue.
The Jeep subsequently rotated clockwise and came to rest perpendicular to the roadway, completely blocking the single southbound lane of travel. After this collision, a 25-year-old female who was traveling southbound I-95, stopped her vehicle on the left shoulder of the off-ramp to Delaware Avenue. The female exited her vehicle and walked into the single southbound lane of travel to offer assistance to the operator of the Jeep Grand Cherokee.
During that time, a 2016 GMC Sierra pickup truck was approaching the collision scene. The 72-year-old didn’t see the collision ahead due to lighting and weather conditions. The front of the GMC struck the pedestrian within the southbound lane of travel and then struck the passenger side of the Jeep Cherokee. Both vehicles traveled south together for a short distance and eventually came to rest within the single southbound lane of travel, again completely blocking the travel lane.
The 37-year-old operator of the Jeep was transported to Wilmington Hospital where he was treated and later released for minor injuries.
The 25-year-old pedestrian was transported by ambulance to Christiana Hospital where she was pronounced deceased. The identification of the victim is pending notification to the next of kin.
Impairment is not a factor with any of the drivers involved in this collision, according to Hatchell.
Interstate 95 southbound was closed at its junction with US Route 202 for approximately 5 hours while the two collisions were investigated and cleared.
