Newark, DE – Delaware State Police have identified the names of two individuals who died in a crash on November 25, 2020, on northbound Interstate 95 north of the Churchmans Road overpass, Newark, as 25-year-old Erin Sheets of Delmar, DE, and 29-year-old Lorenzo Deer of North East, MD. The crash continues to remain under investigation by the Delaware State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit.
The incident occurred on November 25, 2020, at approximately 10:40 p.m., when a 2000 Honda Civic operated by a 22-year-old male of North East, MD, was traveling northbound on I-95 in the left center lane north of the Churchman’s Road overpass. A vehicle not involved in the crash merged from the right center lane into the left center lane and caused the Civic to lose control and strike the concrete Jersey barrier. The Civic then became disabled in the left lane of I-95 northbound.
A 29-year-old male of North East, MD, that was traveling in front of the Civic pulled over on the shoulder after witnessing the collision and exited his vehicle to check on the operator of the Civic. At the same time, a 2020 Kia Stinger was rapidly approaching the disabled Civic in the left lane. The Operator of the Stinger, a 20-year-old male of Wilmington, DE, veered his vehicle into the left shoulder to avoid striking the Civic but ultimately side swiped the Civic and struck the 29-year-old male standing on the shoulder. After being struck, the pedestrian came to rest in the left southbound lane of I-95, where he was struck by a 2010 Chevrolet Camaro operated by a 19-year-old of Newark, DE.
After striking the pedestrian, the Kia continued traveling out of control until it struck the rear of a 2018 Ford Focus operated by a 25-year-old female of Delmar, DE, who slowed down in the left lane to assist the disabled motorist. The impact caused the Focus to be pushed forward and strike the concrete Jersey barrier on the left shoulder.
The operator and passenger of the Honda Civic were not injured in the collision. The operator and passenger of the Kia Stinger were both transported to a nearby hospital for minor injuries. The operator of the Chevy Camaro was not injured in this collision.
The operator of the Ford Focus was transported to a nearby hospital where she was pronounced deceased.
The pedestrian was pronounced deceased at the collision scene. Both names are being withheld at this time pending the notifications of next of kin.
During the course of the initial investigation, only the two left lanes for southbound I-95 were closed to vehicular traffic. On the northbound side, the left three lanes were closed to vehicular traffic.
