NEW CASTLE, Del.- A Smyrna woman has died from injuries she sustained in a Tuesday morning crash on Christiana Road in New Castle.
Delaware State Police said that shortly before 7 a.m., Joann M. Hess, 29, of Smyrna, was driving her Nissan Sentra and attempting to make a left hand turn from eastbound Christiana Road (DE Rt. 273) onto northbound Airport Road.
Hess drove into the path of a truck and was hit, according to police. They said the truck was driven by John C. Rowell III, 26, of Wilmington.
Troopers said Hess, who was properly restrained at the time of the crash, was trapped in her vehicle for approximately one hour until she could be extricated by members of several fire companies who responded to the scene. She was treated at the scene by New Castle County paramedics and transported to the Christiana Hospital Trauma Center in extremely critical condition suffering from multiple blunt force trauma. She was pronounced dead at 10:19 a.m., police said.
Police said Rowell, who was also properly restrained at the time of the crash, was not injured. Neither alcohol nor drugs appear to be a factor in this crash, according to investigators.
The westbound lanes of Christiana Road were closed for approximately three hours as the crash was investigated and cleared.
The Delaware State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit is continuing its investigation of the crash. However, police said charges are not expected to be filed.
