Fatal Accident Involving a Dart Bus - Georgetown Del.

Delaware State Police say one person was killed and nine others were injured Tuesday after a pickup truck collided with a DART paratransit bus west of Georgetown.

Police said preliminary information reveals the incident occurred around 9:43 a.m. as a Dodge pickup driven by a 55-year-old Frankford man was traveling westbound on Old Furnace Road just west of Waller Road. Troopers said that at the same time, a DART paratransit bus was traveling eastbound on Old Furnace Road, when for unknown reasons, the pickup swerved into the eastbound lane and struck the bus on the driver's side. 

The impact of the crash forced the bus off the south side of the roadway and into a ditch where it overturned once before landing upright, investigators said. The pickup truck continued in an easterly direction and rotated in the roadway before coming to a stop. Investigators said an Infinity G37 passenger car was traveling eastbound behind the bus when in order to avoid the crash, swerved to the right and drove off the south side of the roadway and into a ditch before coming to a stop in a yard.

The driver of the pickup, whose name has not been released pending notification of next of kin, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The operator of the bus, identified as 56-year-old Jerri M. Konopka of Millsboro was taken to Nanticoke Memorial Hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. Two passengers, identified as 54-year-oldNathaniel Norwood of Georgetown, 41-year-old Tara E. Beck of Bridgeville, were also taken to Nanticoke Memorial for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. A third passenger, 93-year-old Frances V. Quailes of Seaford, was taken to Nanticoke Memorial before being transported to Christiana Hospital where she is listed in guarded condition. Two other passengers, 58-year-old George A. Bryant of Milford, and 54-year-old Barbara J. Johnson of Seaford, were taken to Milford Memorial Hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. A sixth passenger, 35-year-old Corbet L. Cannon of Seaford, was taken to Christiana Hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. A seventh passenger, 29-year-old Victoria S. Cannon of Seaford, was also taken to Christiana Hospital where she is listed in critical condition.

The driver of the Infinity, identified as 46-year-old Patrica G. Procinoof Seaford, was transported to Nanticoke Memorial with non-life-threatening injuries.

The DSP Collision Reconstruction Unit is continuing their investigation into this incident. The Delaware Department of Transportation said DART is assisting police with the investigation.

Old Furnace Road between Waller and Asbury roads was closed for approximately three hours as the crash was investigated and cleared.