TOWNSEND, DELAWARE (5/28/2016) A 44-year-old Bear man who died after a road rage incident that led to a fight between two motorists on Route 1 east of Townsend was identified this morning by Delaware State Police.
The incident happened just before 5 p.m. Thursday in the northbound lanes and caused major traffic problems.
Police initially had reported the injuries from a crash were minor, but New Castle County paramedics later said one driver went into cardiac arrest and died at a hospital.
The man who died was identified today as Jeremy P. Reynolds of Bear.
He was driving a 2013 Hyundai Elantra directly behind a 1989 Plymouth Reliant driven by Genaro Torres, 46, of Wilmington, police said.
Police gave this account in a news release:
“Once Torres passed a slower moving vehicle, the Elantra maneuvered around his vehicle in the right lane at a high rate of speed and then pulled directly in front of him before abruptly slowing down. Torres then changed lanes from the left to the right and the Elantra continued to block him by doing the same. Once Torres moved back into the left lane, the Elantra veered suddenly to the left and struck the right front corner of the Plymouth causing it to enter into the center median where Torres was able to come to a controlled stop.”
Police said Reynolds also stopped his car on the right shoulder, got out and began arguing with Torres.
The two then began pushing and shoving one another in the median, police said.
Two probation and parole officers passing through the area saw the fight and separated the two men, having them sit in their own vehicles.
When a trooper arrived and went to Reynolds’ vehicle, he was found unresponsive. The trooper and probation officers began CPR until emergency medical crews arrived. He was then taken by ambulance to the Christiana Care Middletown Emergency Department, where he was pronounced dead.
Torres was not injured in the crash.
Police said they are still investigating and asked any witnesses to call Detective D. Myers at 302-365-8427.
Tips also may be submitted anonymously through Delaware Crime Stoppers, which offers rewards, at 800-847-3333 or www.delaware.crimestoppersweb.com.
44-year-old man dies after Route 1 crash near Townsend
Trucker’s dashcam video shows fatal Route 1 crash involving 5 vehicles