FRANKFORD, DELAWARE (1/30/2015) One person was critically injured and two others had minor injuries in an accident involving three SUVs on U.S. 113 north of Frankford, state police said today. The most seriously injured man was standing outside the vehicle after the initial impact when he was struck.
The crash happened about 5:50 p.m. Thursday at the Swamp Road intersection.
A 2004 GMC Envoy eastbound on Swamp stopped at the stop sign and then pulled across the southbound lanes to cross the highway.
The Envoy was struck on the left side by a southbound 2004 Hyundai Sante Fe. Both vehicles then spun around, with the Envoy stopping in the northbound left-turn lane and the Sante Fe stopping in the middle of the southbound lanes, police said.
A southbound 2002 Chevrolet Trailblazer then struck the left rear of the Sante Fe, causing it to spin around and strike Carlos Cortez, 32 of Frankford, a passenger in the Sante Fe who left the SUV after the initial crash and was standing next to it. He was knocked to the ground by the second collision.
Cortez was first taken by ambulance to Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury, Maryland, and then transferred to Baltimore Shock Trauma in critical condition.
The driver of the Sante Fe, Jose Cortez-Rodriguez, 25, of Frankford, was taken by ambulance to Atlantic General Hospital in Berlin, Maryland, where he was treated and released.
The driver of the Trailblazer, Kimberly Wright, 42, of Fruitland, Maryland, also was taken by ambulance to Atlantic General, treated and released.
The driver of the Envoy, Maria De Lourdez Rios-Ochoas, 39, of Dagsboro, was not injured. Her 8-year-old son and 6-year-old daughter also were not hurt, police said.
Troopers are still investigating and charges are pending. Police said alcohol use was not a factor.
Police said all involved were wearing seat belts.
Southbound U.S. 113 was closed about 3½ hours.