Friday October, 3 2014 @ 15:20

Nature: Vehicle Accident Serious

Location: Beaver Dam Rd & Indian Mission, Harbeson, DE 19951

On Friday afternoon, October 3rd, the Indian River Volunteer Fire Company was alerted for a vehicle accident on Beaver Dam road in the vicinity of Indian Mission.

Emergency response units were Rescue 80 from the Oak Orchard facility and Engine #80-5 from the Long Neck facility. Other support resources also were alerted which included but not limited to: Sussex County Paramedics, Delaware State Police Aviation Unit – Trooper 2; the Delaware State Fire Police; and the Delaware Department of Transportation (DELDOT).

Emergency response crews were immediately assigned to close this entire section of roadway for an extended period and requested DELDOT; vehicle stabilization, and assist with patient assessment, if needed.

Illustrated below is additional information associated with the incident.

http://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/crime/2014/10/04/man-faces-dui-charge-crash-involving-state-police-vehicle/16713817/

Man faces DUI charge in crash involving state police vehicle

The Delaware State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit is investigating a head-on crash Friday afternoon between a state police car and a truck in which the truck driver was charged with DUI, Master Cpl. Gary E. Fournier said in a release Saturday.

It happened around 3:15 p.m.

Fournier said a 23-year-old female trooper was driving a fully marked 2008 Ford Crown Victoria north on Beaver Dam Road just north of Indian Mission Road (Del. 5). Robert C. Rickrode II, 28, of Millsboro, was driving a 2006 Chevrolet Silverado south on Beaver Dam Road and was approaching a moderate right curve north of Del. 5. Fournier said the Silverado failed to negotiate the curve and crossed the center line of the road, entering the northbound path of the Crown Victoria. He said the female trooper tried to avoid the collision by swerving to the right, but the Crown Victoria was hit on the right front side by the right front side of the Silverado. The Silverado rolled onto its side but landed upright on the east side of the road, Fournier said, while the Crown Victoria came to a controlled stop on the east side of the road.

The female trooper and a 28-year-old male trooper who was in the front passenger’s seat were properly restrained and were taken by emergency medical services to Beebe Medical Center, where they were treated and released with minor non-life-threatening injuries, Fournier said.

Rickrode, who was not properly restrained, was taken to Beebe Medical Center, where he was treated and released with non-life-threatening injuries, Fournier said.

Rickrode was taken to Troop 7, where he was charged with two counts of second-degree vehicular assault, driving under the influence of a drug (heroin), inattentive driving, possession of drug paraphernalia and no proof of insurance. He was arraigned at Justice of the Peace Court 3 and was taken to Sussex Correctional Institution on $10,800 cash bond.

Both troopers are assigned to Troop 7 in Lewes.

Fournier said that at the time of the crash, the troopers were not involved in any kind of emergency response, and the Crown Victoria did not have its emergency equipment activated.

The Collision Reconstruction Unit is continuing its investigation.

Beaver Dam Road was closed for about two and a half hours while the crash was investigated and cleared.