Delaware State Police are investigating a fatal motor vehicle collision that occurred early Thursday morning south of Milford, according to Public Information Officer, Master Corporal Heather Pepper.
Pepper said on February 17, 2022, at approximately 12:39 a.m., a 2008 Jeep Patriot was traveling northbound in the southbound lanes of Coastal Highway, north of Brick Granary Road, approaching a left curve. The vehicle failed to negotiate the curve and entered the grass median, traveling northbound between the guardrails approaching the double-span bridge of Cedar Creek. The Jeep struck a grass berm and vaulted into the water between the two spans, landing on the roof with the vehicle nearly completely submerged. Once the Jeep was removed from the water with the assistance of multiple Sussex County dive teams and Coastal Towing, two victims were located deceased inside said Pepper.
The driver of the Jeep Patriot was a 17-year-old male from Dover. Identification is pending notification to next of kin.
The passenger of the vehicle was a 17-year-old male from Camden. Identification is pending notification to next of kin.
The roadway was closed for approximately four hours while the investigation was completed, and the roadway was cleared.
Breaking Report
Just after 12:30, Thursday morning rescue crews from Slaughter Beach’s Memorial Fire Company (89), Sussex County Medics, and Trooper 2 were alerted to a motor vehicle accident along Route 1 at Argos Corner Road. The area of the Cedar Creek Bridge.
While en route crews learned that the vehicle went into the water and overturned. This report added a response from several area fire companies to include dive teams
Upon arrival, Command confirmed that a vehicle was overturned in the water and ordered northbound Route 1 closed.
First arriving crews donned ice suits and entered the water, however, they were unable to make entry into the vehicle.
Upon their arrival, dive team members entered the water to make what Command described as a body recovery.
At 3:20 Command placed the incident under control.
This is a developing story