Delaware State Police are investigating a fatal crash that First State Update told you about earlier this morning.
Officials said on December 16, 2023, at approximately 7:30 p.m., a trooper driving a Chevrolet Police Tahoe was northbound on South Dupont Boulevard in the left lane, approaching Spring Meadow Drive.
Directly behind the trooper was a Toyota Highlander, followed by a Kia Sorento. Simultaneously, a pedestrian was at the Economy Inn, located east of the northbound lanes of South Dupont Boulevard.
The pedestrian entered the northbound travel lanes, walked into the path of the police Tahoe, and was struck officials said. Subsequently, the pedestrian landed in the left lane and was run over by both the Highlander and the Sorento.
Authorities said the 26-year-old female pedestrian from Smyrna was not carrying a flashlight nor crossing at a designated crossing area.
The trooper, a 23-year-old Smyrna man, was transported to a nearby hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. The drivers of the Highlander, a 25-year-old female from Milford, and the Sorento, a 32-year-old man from Smyrna, were not injured. The pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene. Her identity is being withheld until her family is notified.
The northbound lanes of South Dupont Boulevard remained closed for approximately 3.5 hours as investigators examined the scene and cleared the roadway.
Breaking Report
Rescue crews responded to a fatal pedestrian struck accident on N DuPont Highway Saturday.
The incident unfolded just after 7:30 last evening as rescue crews from the Cheswold Volunteer Fire Company were dispatched to N Dupont Highway in the vicinity of Messina Hill Road, north of Dover.
Upon their arrival at the scene, rescue crews a priority four patient, denoting a fatality.
Crews ordered the closure of the road and diverted motorists away from the crash scene.
Sources in law enforcement tell FSU that a law enforcement officer was involved in the accident, but that has not been officially confirmed.
The driver of the vehicle involved in the incident was transported to a hospital for medical attention, with non-life-threatening injuries.
The road remained closed for several hours, as State Police investigators worked to investigate the crash.