A 15-year-old girl was killed by a hit-and-run driver while crossing Maryland Avenue near Lower Oak Street in Wilmington. Surveillance video captured the fatal crash, which also showed the driver traveling at a high rate of speed on the wrong side of the street. She was transported to a nearby hospital, where she later died of her injuries.
Police located the vehicle in Bear, Delaware, and charged the driver with manslaughter and leaving the scene of a deadly crash.
Residents say speeding is a common problem in the neighborhood, and voiced concern for many of the neighborhood children who are out in the early morning hours at bus stops and heading to schools.
Hit and run accidents are especially dangerous and often leave victims without immediate medical assistance, delay investigations, and complicate efforts to locate and hold the driver accountable. When a driver flees the scene, an injured individual’s chances of survival drop dramatically, particularly with serious or severe injuries.
In Delaware, drivers involved in a crash must stop and provide aid or information. Leaving the scene of an accident involving a fatality is a felony criminal offense that carries serious penalties, including steep fines, up to 15 years in prison, and a permanent criminal record. Fatal hit-and-run cases are aggressively prosecuted, and law enforcement uses every available resource to track down and charge drivers who flee the scene.
McCann Dillon Jaffe & Lamb, LLC is a full-service personal injury law firm. To learn more about our legal services or schedule a free consultation, call 302-888-1221 or fill out our online form. Located in Wilmington, Delaware, we proudly serve clients in Dover, Newark, and Middletown, Delaware.