The operator failed to negotiate the curve and traveled off the south side of the roadway down an embankment and struck a utility pole with the driver’s side door. The Jeep continued westbound overturning and ejecting the right front passenger before coming to a stop on the passenger side.
DELAWARE STATE POLICE BEAT / Two Dover officers killed when Jeep flipped on curve on country road
DOVER, DEL. – The Delaware State Police reports that their Collision Reconstruction Unit is investigating a single vehicle fatal crash that claimed the life of two people early on the morning of Monday, Feb. 26, 2017.
Police say that the preliminary investigation suggests the incident occurred around 4:05 a.m., Sunday, February 26, 2017, as Robert E. DaFonte, 23 of Hartly, Del., was operating a 2016 Jeep Wrangler westbound on Hazlettville Road, east of Nault Road approaching a sharp right curve. The operator failed to negotiate the curve and traveled off the south side of the roadway down an embankment and struck a utility pole with the driver’s side door. The Jeep continued westbound overturning and ejecting the right front passenger before coming to a stop on the passenger side.
Robert DaFonte was properly restrained and was pronounced dead at the scene.
James D. Watts, 22 of Camden-Wyoming, who was seated in the right front passenger’s seat, was not properly restrained and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Collision Reconstruction Unit is continuing their investigation into this incident. Hazlettville Road between Apple Grove School Road and Nault Road was closed for approximately three hours while the crash was investigated and cleared.
