BETHANY BEACH, Del. — Delaware State Police arrested a 22-year-old man from Magnolia after a high-speed crash on Coastal Highway left one man seriously hurt and snarled traffic near Bethany Beach on Wednesday night.
According to state police, the crash happened around 7:55 p.m. on Oct. 2 near Beach Cove Square. Troopers say Benjamin Herrera was driving a Dodge Challenger south on Coastal Highway “in a reckless manner and at an apparent high rate of speed” when he crashed into a Nissan Frontier. The impact pushed the Nissan into the right lane, where it hit a Chevrolet Colorado, causing the Colorado to overturn.
The driver of the Chevrolet, a 59-year-old man from New Castle, was seriously hurt and taken to a nearby hospital. The Nissan’s driver, a 44-year-old man from Ocean View, and a 7-year-old passenger were both evaluated at the scene but refused to go to the hospital.
When troopers spoke with Herrera, they say they smelled alcohol on his breath and reported “multiple signs of impairment.” He was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. During the ambulance ride, Herrera allegedly threatened both a paramedic and an EMT, police said.
After being released from the hospital, Herrera was arrested and charged with the following:
Vehicular assault 1st degree – drive under the influence negligent injury (felony)
Vehicular assault 2nd degree – driving under the influence negligence causes injury
Driving a vehicle under the influence of a combination of alcohol and any drug
Three counts of reckless endangering 2nd degree
Two counts of terroristic threatening
Reckless driving
Failure to have insurance identification in possession
He was arraigned at Justice of the Peace Court 7 and committed to Sussex Correctional Institution on a $6,300 cash bond.
Southbound lanes of Coastal Highway were closed for an extended period while troopers investigated and cleared the crash.