A nine-year old girl was one of two fatalities in an accident on Interstate 95 involving an overturned tractor-trailer and other vehicles. The accident led to southbound lanes being closed for seven and a half hours.
The child died on Wednesday morning at A.I. duPont Hospital for Children.
The accident claimed the life of a Middletown man the child occurred at 4:46 p.m., Tuesday on I-95 southbound near the Route 72 overpass, State Police reported.
According to troopers: A 2008 Toyota Highlander, driven by a 45-year-old Middletown man, was traveling I-95 southbound in the right lane, and was slowing to a stop in a line of congested traffic.
A 2015 Honda CRV, driven by a 49-year-old Newark woman, was slowing to a stop directly behind the Toyota, with a 2014 Nissan Sentra, driven by a 61-year-old Middletown man, was slowing to a stop directly behind the Honda.
A 2014 Kenworth tractor-trailer, operated by a 39-year-old Fairmont, NC man, was traveling I-95 southbound in the right lane, directly behind the Nissan.
The tractor-trailer failed to stop and in turn rear-ended the Nissan, forcing it across all southbound lanes, where it came to rest in the far left southbound lane.
The tractor-trailer then struck the Honda and then the Toyota, forcing both vehicles off the right side of the road and down an embankment.
After hitting the three vehicles the tractor-trailer veered to the left and overturned onto its right side, broke through a guardrail and stopped with its wheels up, coming to rest partially in the center grass median and partially in the left through lane of northbound I-95.
The 61-year-old driver of the Nissan was pronounced dead at the scene. Release of the name of the victim is pending notification of next of kin.
The 49-year-old female driver of the Honda was transported to the Christiana Hospital with serious injuries. A child in the Honda was hospitalized in critical condition.
The 45-year-old male driver of the Toyota and the 39-year-old male driver of the Kenworth sustained non-life threatening injuries.
The investigation is ongoing and anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to contact Sgt. D. Alexander of the Troop 2 Collision Reconstruction Unit by calling 302-365-8484.
