DOVER, DELAWARE (10/21/2015) An 86-year-old man was in critical condition and another man also was injured in a head-on crash today in a construction zone near Dover, the Delaware State Police said.
The accident happened about 2:05 p.m. on New Burton Road just south of Webbs Lane.
George E. Courtney Jr., 86, of Dover was driving a 2008 Mercury Marquis southbound approaching an active construction zone for the West Dover connector, police said.
“For unknown reasons, Courtney drove past the flagman positioned on the north end and onto the grassy shoulder disregarding the stop sign he was holding up. He then continued southbound pulling back into the southbound lane and then crossed into the northbound lane where he accelerated and struck a 1999 Mercury Mountaineer head on,” police said in a news release.
The northbound Mercury Mountaineer, driven by Craig R. Burris, 58, of Camden, had just received the slow sign from the flagman on the south end of the construction zone, police said. The southbound and northbound lanes were divided by large orange barrels and only one lane was in use.
Courtney was taken by ambulance to Bayhealth Kent General Hospital where he was admitted in critical condition.
Burris, who was wearing a seat belt, was also taken to the hospital, where he was being treated for injuries police described as not life-threatening.
New Burton Road was closed between Webbs Lane and Front Street for about 2½ hours while the crash was investigated and the wreckage cleared.