Highway tragedy as man walking from broken-down car struck
SEAFORD, DE — A 66-year-old man was struck and killed Tuesday night while attempting to cross Sussex Highway on foot after his vehicle ran out of gas, Delaware State Police confirmed Wednesday.
The fatal crash occurred at approximately 10:10 p.m. on December 2, south of Brickyard Road. According to investigators, the pedestrian had parked his disabled vehicle along the northbound median and was attempting to cross the southbound lanes of Sussex Highway from the center grass median when the incident happened.
Wearing dark clothing and without a flashlight, the man entered the right lane and was hit by a southbound Toyota 4Runner driven by an 18-year-old man from Laurel. The driver was uninjured and remained at the scene.
Emergency responders pronounced the pedestrian dead at the scene. His identity is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.
The southbound lanes of Sussex Highway were shut down for approximately three hours while the Delaware State Police Troop 7 Collision Reconstruction Unit processed the scene.
Investigators are asking anyone who may have witnessed the crash or who has information related to the incident to contact Master Corporal K. Argo at (302) 703-3264. Tips can also be submitted via Facebook or through Delaware Crime Stoppers.
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Key Points
- A 66-year-old Seaford man was struck and killed while crossing Sussex Highway Tuesday night
- The man’s car had run out of gas before he attempted to cross the road in dark clothing
- The driver of the Toyota 4Runner was not injured, and the crash remains under investigation