Delaware State Police are investigating a fatal motor vehicle collision that occurred Tuesday night in the Wilmington area that resulted in the arrest of Christopher McCabe, 29, of Newark for vehicular assault police said.
Officials said on December 27, 2022, at approximately 8:54 p.m., a 2017 Volkswagen GTI was traveling Ogletown Stanton Road (Route 4) westbound passing Harmony Road in the right lane at a reportedly high rate of speed. At the time, a 2005 Honda Accord was traveling Route 4 eastbound in the left turn lane and made a U-turn onto Route 4 westbound in the right lane. The front of the Volkswagen struck the rear left of the Honda in the right lane of westbound Route 4 west of Harmony Road. The Volkswagen rotated several times and came to a rest in the roadway. The Honda was pushed off the roadway and came to a rest in a parking lot.
The operator of the Honda, a 16-year-old male from Newark, DE was transported to an area hospital in critical condition. The 16-year-old male front-seat passenger in the Honda was transported to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The operator of the Volkswagen, identified as Christopher McCabe, was not injured during the collision. Officials said McCabe was suspected of being under the influence at the time of the crash and a subsequent impaired driving investigation was started.
McCabe was taken into custody without incident and transported to Troop 6 where he was charged with the following crimes:
- Vehicular Assault First Degree (Felony)
- Driving a Vehicle Under the Influence of Alcohol
- Reckless Driving
- Unreasonable Speed
McCabe was arraigned in the Justice of the Peace Court #11 and committed to the Howard R. Young Correctional Institution on a $15,001 cash bond.
In the early morning hours of December 28, 2022, the 16-year-old operator of the Honda died at the hospital. Identification of the victim is pending notification to the next of kin.
Route 4 westbound was closed for approximately 3 hours while the crash was investigated, and the roadway cleared.