SUSSEX COUNTY, Del. - Delaware State Police say three people were killed in two separate crashes that occurred around the same time Friday afternoon in Sussex County.
Around 2:30 p.m. Nov. 7, troopers responded to John J. Williams Highway near Layton Davis Road, where a westbound Dodge Ram driven by 76-year-old Peter Roskowski from Millsboro crossed the center line and struck an eastbound Ford F-450 box truck head-on. Roskowski was pronounced dead at the scene. The Ford’s driver, a 63-year-old man from Cape Coral, Florida, was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Zoe Vette, who's lived in Milton for two decades, says she believes it's a combination of factors causing these crashes.
"The distracted driving and the fact that we're building so rapidly in Sussex County, hopefully they're planning for the infrastructure," said Vette.
At about the same time, a chain-reaction crash on the southbound side of Coastal Highway near Hudson Road left two people dead and several others injured. Police said a Peterbilt dump truck failed to slow for traffic and hit the back of a Ford Edge, triggering a six-vehicle pileup.
Troopers identified the Ford’s occupants, 62-year-old Charlene Broccolo and 64-year-old Albert Broccolo, both of Bel Air, Maryland, as the victims.
Vette calls Route 1 and Route 24 congested.
"With all the construction going on, it's just people really need to pay attention," said Vette.
Donald Embrey says people seem to be driving faster than they used to.
"Distracted driving. And speed probably. It's just newer vehicles. People, they're able to go faster, and you don't really feel the speed like you used to. I think that has probably a lot to do with it," said Embrey.
John J. Williams Highway and Coastal Highway were each closed for several hours and Delaware State Police are still investigating.