Shaunee Novak Trucking dash camera shows collision beginning at 3:30 minutes into video.
CHESWOLD, DELAWARE (5/26/2016) A 62-year-old woman was killed and three other people injured when her car went out of control on Route 1 east of Cheswold and crossed the median, involving four other vehicles, one of which burst into flames, Delaware State Police said.
The woman killed was identified as Sarah I. Baird of Wilmington.
The crash was reported at 1:52 p.m. today north of Fast Landing Road (Route 42), and caused major traffic problems for hours.
Police said Baird was driving a 2001 Volvo S60 northbound in the left lane of Route 1 when the car spun around for unknown reasons, crossed the median and collided with the left front corner of a southbound 2016 Jeep Wrangler in the right southbound lane.
The Volvo continued to spin around and came to rest on the right southbound shoulder.
The Jeep also spun around and left the west edge of the highway, coming to rest in the grass. Shortly after the driver got out, the Jeep became engulfed in flames but no one was injured by the fire, police said.
The driver of a southbound 2015 Honda Pilot SUV was able to slow to avoid the initial collision, but was rear-ended by a 2011 GMC Terrain SUV. Both vehicles were able to come to controlled stops.
The driver of a southbound 2009 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck, pulling an enclosed horse trailer, was able to navigate through the collisions but struck the driver’s door of the Volvo as it was spinning around. The truck then went off the west side of the road and up an embankment, coming to a stop with the trailer still attached.
Baird was pronounced dead at the scene.
A 63-year-old man who was a passenger in the Volvo was flown by state police helicopter to Christiana Hospital in Stanton and admitted for treatment of undetermined injuries. Police said he wasn’t wearing a seat belt.
The Jeep’s driver, Brandon R. Cooper, 26, of Calhoun, Georgia, was taken by ambulance to Bayhealth Kent General Hospital in Dover, treated and released. Police said he was wearing a seat belt.
The GMC Terrain’s driver, Kelli J. Amaya, 46, of Middletown, was taken by ambulance to Kent General, where she was admitted for treatment of undetermined injuries, police said. She was wearing a seat belt.
The Honda Pilot’s driver, Brian M. Mathe, 38, of Middletown, was uninjured. Police said he was wearing a seat belt.
The driver of the pickup with trailer, Vicki L. Johnson, 60, of Smyrna, was uninjured. Police said she was wearing a seat belt. A horse in the trailer also was not hurt.
Police said they are still investigating but alcohol was not a factor on the part of any of the drivers.
Northbound lanes were closed until about 4 p.m. DelDOT reported the southbound lanes reopened just after 7 p.m.
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