Elkton man killed in latest Delaware wrong-way collision

As of press time Thursday, DSP officials had not released the name of the Elkton victim, identifying him only as a 48-year-old man who was operating a 2004 Ford F-150 at the time of the quadruple-fatal crash. Nor had they released the names of the other three victims. Investigators were withholding the names, pending next-of-kin notifications.

This most recent wrong-way fatal collision occurred at approximately 11:30 p.m. on Wednesday, when the Ford pickup truck driven southward in the northbound lane of I-495 by the Elkton man crashed head-on into a northbound 2020 Toyota Tacoma near Route 13, police said. After the collision, police added, both vehicles slightly rotated counterclockwise and came to rest a short distance from the point of impact.

Police reported that the Elkton man, who was wearing a seatbelt, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Also killed in the crash was the Toyota operator — whom investigators identified only as a 41-year-old woman who was a Philadelphia, Pa., resident, police said. She, too, was pronounced dead at the scene, police added. That driver also was wearing a seatbelt, police noted.

In addition, two occupants of the Toyota were killed, according to DSP officials. The two occupants, who were wearing their seatbelts, too, were pronounced dead after arriving at an area hospital, police reported. As of Thursday afternoon, the identities of the two deceased Toyota occupants had not been confirmed, according to police.

The quadruple-fatal crash forced emergency workers to close northbound Interstate 495 between Interstate 95 and Route 13 for approximately five hours, allowing for the clearing of the road and the on-scene investigation, police reported.

The Delaware State Police Troop 2 Collision Reconstruction Unit is continuing to investigate this crash. DSP troopers are asking anyone who witnessed this crash to call DSP Master Cpl. Breen at 302-365-8486. Information also may be provided by contacting Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333 or via the internet at www.delawarecrimestoppers.com.

Relating to the earlier wrong-way fatal crash, DSP officials released the name of Matthew Doran, 45, of Elkton on Wednesday and identified him as the man who was killed when the Subaru Forester SUV he was driving eastward in the westbound lane of Pulaski Highway (Route 40) at approximately 10:40 p.m. on Sunday crashed head-on into a westbound Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck near the Pleasant Valley Road intersection, police reported.

Doran, who was wearing a seatbelt, was pronounced dead after arriving at an area hospital, according to police.

Police reported that the Chevrolet operator — a 51-year-old man Newark, Del., man — was hospitalized for unspecified injuries. He, too, was wearing a seatbelt, police noted.

The investigation is continuing in that fatal crash, as well. Anyone with information that might help in that fatal collision is asked to call DSP Senior Cpl. M. Calio at 302-365-8483. As with the more recent fatal crash, information also can be provided by contacting Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333 or delaware.crimestoppers.com.