BRIDGEVILLE, Del. – Two people were killed Friday afternoon when a Toyota Camry crossed into the path of an oncoming dump truck on Seashore Highway near Bridgeville, Delaware State Police said.
The crash happened at about 12:40 p.m. near Oak Road. A 19-year-old Millsboro man was driving the Camry east while a Peterbilt dump truck was approaching from the opposite direction.
For reasons investigators have not determined, the Camry entered the westbound lane and collided head-on with the Peterbilt, according to Delaware State Police.
Two People in Camry Die After Crash
The 19-year-old driver was pronounced dead at the scene.
His passenger, a 23-year-old woman from Honduras, was taken to an area hospital but later died from her injuries.
Police withheld both names while their families were being notified.
The 58-year-old dump truck driver, who is from Ridgely, Maryland, survived. He was taken to a hospital with injuries police described as non-life-threatening.
Investigators have not said what caused the Camry to cross the center of the roadway.
Dump Truck Catches Fire, Third Driver Avoids Collision
The impact left the Peterbilt dump truck fully engulfed in flames.
There was another large truck immediately behind it.
Police said a Peterbilt tractor pulling a loaded car trailer was traveling behind the dump truck when the collision occurred. Its driver managed to avoid the wreck but went into a ditch.
That driver was not injured.
The sequence left police with multiple vehicles and a fire to deal with along Seashore Highway, keeping the roadway closed for about five hours while investigators documented the scene and crews cleared the wreckage.
Delaware State Police Investigating Cause
The crash remains under investigation.
Police have not attributed fault beyond their preliminary finding that the Camry entered the opposing lane. No explanation was given for why that happened.
The collision adds two deaths to the toll from serious crashes on Delaware roads, with the investigation now centered on what happened in the moments before the Camry crossed into westbound traffic.
Anyone with information about the crash can contact Delaware State Police as the investigation continues.