NEWARK, DE – A four-car collision on Salem Church Road left one man dead Saturday morning as police search for a vehicle that fled the scene.
The crash occurred around 9:45 a.m. when a Chevrolet Malibu traveling southbound veered into the northbound lane, striking a Honda Civic head-on.
The impact killed the Civic’s driver, a 60-year-old Middletown man, who was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to Delaware State Police, the chain reaction began when an unknown vehicle attempted to pass the Honda Civic in the northbound lane, forcing the Malibu to swerve before overcorrecting into oncoming traffic.
After colliding with the Civic, the Malibu continued southbound, hitting a Subaru Impreza and then a Hyundai Elantra.
Search underway for unknown vehicle
Investigators say the unidentified vehicle did not crash and continued driving away after the wreck. Authorities have not yet released a description of that vehicle.
The driver of the Malibu, a 21-year-old Dover man, was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, while the Impreza and Elantra drivers—men from Newark and Wilmington—were uninjured.
Road closed for hours during investigation
Salem Church Road was shut down for approximately four hours as troopers reconstructed the scene and cleared debris. Police are asking anyone with information or dashcam footage from the area to come forward.
State Police are continuing to investigate the cause of the crash and work to identify the fleeing driver.
One man was killed and another hospitalized after a four-car crash in Newark involving a hit-and-run vehicle.