Wilmington man dies in Middletown crash with firetruck

Driver of Acura TL died when car struck rear of stopped firetruck on U.S. 301. (Photo: Delaware Free News)

MIDDLETOWN, DELAWARE (4/14/2019) A 57-year-old Wilmington man was killed Saturday night when his car struck the rear of a stopped firetruck on U.S. 301, the Delaware State Police said.

The crash happened in the northbound lanes shortly before 8 p.m., north of Bunker Hill Road.

“The fire truck was responding to the area to assist on a previous collision that involved injuries and had all of its emergency lights activated. It was reported that the operator of the firetruck had just applied the air brake and the truck was stopped when it was struck from behind by a 2009 Acura TL that was also traveling northbound on U.S. 301,” police said in a news release.

The driver of the firetruck, a 34-year-old man from Middletown, declined treatment at the scene. Police said he was wearing a seat belt.

The driver of the Acura was pronounced dead at the scene. Police withheld his name pending notification of next of kin.

Northbound U.S. 301 was closed about 2½ hours while the crash was investigated and the wreckage was cleared.