A University of Delaware police officer tried to stop the motorcycle for a traffic violation on Wednesday, Aug. 27 just before midnight at East Main Street just west of South Chapel Street, Newark police said.
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The motorcycle disregarded the police officer’s emergency lights and fled at a high rate of speed westbound on East Main Street. The University of Delaware police officer did not engage in a pursuit with the motorcycle and extinguished his emergency lights when the motorcycle fled at a high rate of speed.
The motorcycle continued westbound on East Main Street at a high rate of speed and struck the woman in a crosswalk on West Main Street, just west of North College Avenue, police said.
This crash occurred within one minute of the attempt to stop the motorcycle. The motorcyclist was ejected from the bike, which continued onto the sidewalk on the north side of West Main Street and struck four pedestrians on the sidewalk, along with a light pole, police said.
Bystanders performed lifesaving measures on the pedestrian in the crosswalk, however, they were unsuccessful. The crosswalk pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene. The identity of the victim, an 18 year-old female from New Jersey, is being withheld pending notification of next-of-kin. UDel said that the victim was a first-year student.
Three of the pedestrians on the sidewalk suffered minor injuries for which they refused transportation to a hospital. One of the sidewalk pedestrians suffered injuries not believed to be life-threatening and was transported to an area hospital for treatment.
The motorcycle rider also suffered injuries not believed to be life-threatening and was transported to an area hospital for treatment. The motorcycle rider has not been charged with any offenses while the case remains under investigation.
The Newark Police Department was assisted at the scene by the University of Delaware Police Department, Aetna Hose Hook and Ladder Company of Newark, University of Delaware Emergency Care Unit and New Castle County EMS paramedics.
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