The Delaware State Police are currently investigating a fatal crash that occurred last night in Wilmington, resulting in the loss of two lives. The incident took place on June 26, 2023, at approximately 4:41 p.m., when a 2002 Ford Ranger, traveling at a high rate of speed, collided with a 2007 Kenworth Tractor on I-495 southbound near the 12th Street overpass police said.
According to preliminary reports from the Delaware State Police, the Kenworth Tractor was traveling in the right lane of I-495 southbound, approaching the 12th Street overpass. Simultaneously, the Ford Ranger was maneuvering through traffic, passing vehicles in the center lane of the same stretch of highway. The Ford Ranger then merged into the right lane, resulting in a side-swipe collision with the Kenworth Tractor according to police.
The impact of the collision caused the Ford Ranger to spin in a clockwise direction, ultimately striking the sloped concrete embankment beneath the 12th Street overpass. The Ford Ranger overturned and rolled approximately 150 feet before coming to a rest on the grass shoulder. Meanwhile, the Kenworth Tractor managed to come to a controlled stop on the shoulder of the highway.
Officials said that both occupants of the Ford Ranger, a 45-year-old male driver, and a 52-year-old male passenger, both residents of Wilmington, were not wearing seatbelts at the time of the accident. They were pronounced dead at the scene. The identification of the victims is being withheld pending notification of their respective families.
The driver of the Kenworth Tractor, a 35-year-old man from Spring City, Pennsylvania, escaped the incident without any injuries.
In response to the crash, the Delaware State Police closed the affected stretch of I-495 southbound for approximately four hours. This closure was necessary to facilitate a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident and to ensure the safe removal of vehicles and debris from the scene.