A man faces charges after three people, including a 9-year-old girl from Pennsylvania, were killed in a Christmas Eve crash where Delaware police said the driver who struck their minivan ran away from the wreckage.
The hit-and-run took wreck took place along Lewes-Georgetown Highway (Route 9) approaching Minos Conaway Road in Lewes just before 8 p.m. Saturday, Delaware State Police said Sunday.
A 42-year-old driver -- who is from Temple in Berks County, Pennsylvania -- of a 2008 Honda Odyssey was turning left onto Route 9 after stopping at the stop sign on Minos Conaway Road when he crossed into the path of a 2016 Land Rover going westbound on Route 9, state police said.
"As a result, the front of the Land Rover struck the driver’s side of the Honda for impact in the westbound lane, within the intersection," state police wrote.
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The impact caused both vehicles to spin around, police said.
Three of the seven people in the minivan were ejected, police said. A 9-year-old girl and 35-year-old woman from Berks County and a 74-year-old Lewes man died at the scene.
The four others in the van, including the driver, a 4-year-old boy, a 12-year-old boy and a 67-year-old woman were taken to the hospital with what police called non-life-threatening or minor injuries.
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The Land Rover driver ran off on foot, investigators said.
"Through investigative means, it was determined that Jason Wilcox had been the driver of the Land Rover at the time of the crash," Delaware State Police said in a Monday news release.
Troopers said they tracked down the 46-year-old at a Millsboro home and arrested him without incident Christmas afternoon. He faces three felony counts of leaving the scene of a deadly crash as well as several other counts of leaving the scene of a crash causing injury and traffic violations.
It wasn't clear if Wilcox had an attorney who could comment on his behalf.
Route 9 was closed for the rest of Christmas Eve as police investigated the wreck and crews cleared the scene, police said. The investigation continued into Monday.
Troopers asked any witnesses to call Master Cpl. K. Argo at 302-703-3264 or send info to Delaware Crime Stoppers online or by calling 1-800-TIP-3333.
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