Delaware State Police are investigating a fatal pedestrian collision that occurred Friday night west of New Castle, according to Public Information Officer, Master Corporal Heather Pepper.
Pepper said on February 25, 2022, at approximately 7:29 p.m., a 65-year-old Bear man was traveling northbound on Bear Christiana Road (DE SR 7) approaching Newtown Road. Just prior to Newtown Road, a truck the Bear man was following had a couch fall out of the back into the roadway, landing partially in the center median and partially in the left travel lane of southbound DE SR 7. The victim and another driver stopped in the left turn lane of DE SR 7 northbound, south of Newtown Road, to remove the couch from the roadway.
As the Bear man entered the left travel lane of southbound DE SR 7 to help remove the couch from the road, a 2008 Dodge Dakota was traveling southbound on DE SR 7 in the left travel lane approaching the intersection with Newtown Road. As the Dodge traveled through the intersection, the pedestrian was still in the left travel lane. The driver of the Dodge saw the pedestrian at the last second and veered to the right, attempting to avoid the collision said Pepper. Unfortunately, the driver was unsuccessful, and the left front of the Dodge struck the victim within the left travel lane of southbound DE SR 7. The other individual helping to move the couch was uninjured.
The 65-year-old Bear man was transported to a nearby hospital by EMS, where he was pronounced deceased. Identification is pending notification to next of kin.
The 42-year-old Middletown man driving the Dodge Dakota was not injured.
The collision’s location is dark and only slightly illuminated by nearby lighting said Pepper. Both directions of DE SR 7 were closed to vehicular traffic between Newtown Road and Freedom Road for approximately 3 hours while the crash was investigated and cleared.