SMYRNA, Del. - The Delaware State Police are investigating a fatal crash near Smyrna that occurred yesterday morning.
At around 11:45 a.m. Wednesday, police say an International Box Truck was traveling northbound on Route 1 in the right lane near Exit 114. An International Flatbed Truck was stopped on the right shoulder of the road at the time. According to police, the driver of the stopped flatbed was outside of the vehicle when the driver of the box truck reportedly fell asleep at the wheel and drifted into the shoulder.
The box truck collided with the rear of the stopped flatbed, and the driver of the flatbed was also hit during the collision. The box truck then swerved left back into the northbound lanes of Route 1 before crashing into a guardrail and into the grass median.
The driver of the box truck. A 24-year-old man from West Virginia, was taken to a nearby hospital for minor injuries. The driver of the flatbed who was outside of the vehicle at the time,, a 60-year-old from Somerset, NJ, was taken to a hospital in critical condition.
A 57-year-old man from Baltimore was also sitting in the flatbed as a passenger when it was struck. He was pronounced dead at the scene. His identity is pending notification of his family.
The Delaware State Police are investigating this incident and ask any witnesses to contact Master Corporal J. Lane by calling 302-698-8457. Information may also be provided by sending a Private Facebook Message to the Delaware State Police or contacting Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-847-3333.