Two people died in a collision on Route 13 near the Smyrna Rest Area Thursday at about 4:30 p.m., including Christopher Sturmfels, 42, of Middletown.
The incident started when Mark Bednash, 53, of Newark was driving a Ford Explorer south on Route 1, reportedly in an erratic manner, police said. He struck two vehicles on Route 1 then exited onto Route 13 southbound just north of the Smyrna Rest Area.
On Route 13, Bednash lost control of his vehicle, veered left into the northbound lanes, and struck a Subaru that was traveling north on Route 13. The vehicles wedged together and skidded off the roadway.
The crash killed both the driver and a passenger in the Subaru. The driver of the Subaru was Sturmfels, and the passenger was Michael T. Kriner, 47, of Newark. They were pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
Bednash was flown from the scene by State Police helicopter to Christiana Hospital, where he was admitted in critical condition.
Collision Reconstruction Unit members have advised that several witnesses have called in and provided valuable information which has helped to piece much of this incident together. This crash remains under investigation.
Traffic at Route 13 and Duck Creek Road was delayed for about five hours, police said.
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Two people died in a collision on Route 13 near the Smyrna Rest Area Thursday at about 4:30 p.m., including Christopher Sturmfels, 42, of Middletown.
The incident started when Mark Bednash, 53, of Newark was driving a Ford Explorer south on Route 1, reportedly in an erratic manner, police said. He struck two vehicles on Route 1 then exited onto Route 13 southbound just north of the Smyrna Rest Area.
On Route 13, Bednash lost control of his vehicle, veered left into the northbound lanes, and struck a Subaru that was traveling north on Route 13. The vehicles wedged together and skidded off the roadway.
The crash killed both the driver and a passenger in the Subaru. The driver of the Subaru was Sturmfels, and the passenger was Michael T. Kriner, 47, of Newark. They were pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
Bednash was flown from the scene by State Police helicopter to Christiana Hospital, where he was admitted in critical condition.
Collision Reconstruction Unit members have advised that several witnesses have called in and provided valuable information which has helped to piece much of this incident together. This crash remains under investigation.
Traffic at Route 13 and Duck Creek Road was delayed for about five hours, police said.
