NEWPORT, DELAWARE (12/15/2016) An 80-year-old man died when an SUV crashed into a tree northeast of Newport this afternoon, Delaware State Police said.
The crash was reported shortly before 3 p.m. on East Newport Pike (Route 4) just east of Victoria Avenue.
Police said Edward Kowalski, of Wilmington, was driving a 2011 Ford Escape eastbound and veered onto the right shoulder and struck the curb, then crossed the sidewalk before hitting the tree.
According to reports from the scene, he was trapped in the wreckage and extricated by firefighters.
Police said Kowalski was the only person in the SUV. He was taken by ambulance to Christiana Hospital in Stanton, where he was pronounced dead.
He had been wearing a seat belt, police said.
Alcohol doesn’t appear to be a factor in the crash but it isn’t known the collision was a result of a medical event, police said.
East Newport Pike was closed about 45 minutes as emergency crews worked at the scene.
