University of Delaware Student Killed, Eight Injured in Newark Crash as Stolen U-Haul Van was Fleeing from Police

Victor Nwoko
Apr 30
3 min read

A University of Delaware student was killed and eight other people were injured in a crash on Main Street involving a stolen U-Haul van fleeing from the police on Tuesday

A University of Delaware student was killed and eight others injured after a U-Haul truck, reported overdue by the rental company, fled from police officers and crashed on East Main Street in Newark, Delaware, on April 29.

The incident began around 4:30 p.m. when Newark police officers located a U-Haul truck on the 200 block of East Main Street that had not been returned since its due date of March 18. Two individuals were inside the vehicle when officers approached to make an arrest. As the police moved in, the driver fled, driving over a curb and ramming a marked police vehicle.

Officers did not pursue the truck as it sped away. Roughly five minutes later, the U-Haul, traveling at a high speed westbound on East Main Street, struck two pedestrians standing next to a parked car. One of the victims, later confirmed to be a University of Delaware student, died at the scene despite officers’ attempts at life-saving measures. The second pedestrian sustained serious injuries and was transported to a nearby hospital.

The U-Haul continued to strike multiple parked vehicles before becoming disabled. Authorities arrived at the scene and apprehended both the driver and the passenger. The driver was hospitalized with serious injuries.

The Aetna Hose, Hook and Ladder Company confirmed that three additional people were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, while three others sustained minor injuries and declined medical treatment.

Witnesses described the chaos, with University of Delaware student Victoria Dellano recounting, “We realized those screaming weren’t people having fun, it was people in fear. All we heard was car crashing and a bunch of noise.”

Newark Police Department’s Traffic Unit is actively investigating the crash. East Main Street near South Chapel Street remained closed for several hours Tuesday evening. A makeshift memorial appeared at the site of the crash by early Wednesday morning.

This is the second fatal traffic incident in Newark in two days. At the start of the academic year in August 2024, a University of Delaware freshman was killed on Main Street when a fleeing motorcyclist struck them. In that case, officers also refrained from initiating a pursuit.

The University of Delaware has assured students there is no active threat to campus safety and has made support resources available.