Newark – The Delaware State Police continue to investigate a multi-vehicle crash in which three people were injured that occurred yesterday afternoon near Newark, according to Public Information Officer, Master Corporal Jeffrey Hale.
Hale said the investigation thus far has determined that the crash occurred on Wednesday, August 9, 2017, at approximately 3:19 p.m., as Alfonzo Cruz, 39, of Elkton, MD, was operating a 2014 Dodge Ram and was traveling in a southbound direction on SR1, north of DE 273 (Christiana Road).
Traffic traveling in front of Cruz stopped suddenly due to debris in the roadway. Cruz, however, was unable to stop which caused the front of his truck to strike the rear of a 2008 BMW 528i, which was being operated by a 32-year-old Dover, DE man, said Hale. The rear of Cruz’ vehicle was then struck by the front of a 1999 Toyota 4-Runner, which had been traveling directly behind him, and which was being operated by a 70-year-old Bear, DE woman, according to Hale.
The rear of the Toyota was then struck by the front of a 2017 Rexhall tractor-trailer, which had been traveling directly behind the Toyota, and which was being operated by a 51-year-old Middletown, DE man. The force of the impact drove the Toyota into the rear of the Dodge Ram for a second time, according to Hale. The Ram then went airborne and flipped over before coming to rest in the roadway.
Alfonzo Cruz, who was properly restrained at the time of the crash, was trapped in his vehicle for approximately 15 minutes until he could be extricated by responding fire department personnel. He was then treated at the scene by New Castle County Paramedics before being transported by ambulance to the Christiana Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Cruz was cited by Troopers for Following Too Closely.
The 32-year-old operator of the BMW and the 70-year-old operator of the Toyota, who were both properly restrained at the time of the crash, were treated by paramedics at the scene. They were then transported to the Christiana Hospital where they were treated for their non-life threatening injuries.
There were no other injuries and only one vehicle overturned.
Southbound SR1 was closed for a period of time as the crash was being investigated and cleared.