One 22-year-old man in Delaware, Gordon Turner, has been charged with murder after allegedly using a rental van to flee from police, which caused a multi-vehicle crash. Many people were injured, and, unfortunately, one University of Delaware graduate student died as a result.
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According to WPVI, the incident took place on Tuesday, April 29. Reportedly, police discovered a U-Haul van on East Main Street in Newark, Delaware. As per the outlet, the van was supposed to have been returned to a rental facility on March 18. However, at 4:34 p.m., police saw Turner and a passenger returning to the vehicle.
Once Turner realized police officers were approaching, he allegedly drove over a curb. He allegedly hit a police vehicle, only to drive away down East Main Street.
"The suspects disregarded officer commands and exited the parking lot at a high rate of speed," a news release issued by police said, as per Fox News. "Newark officers did not engage in a vehicle pursuit and remained in the shopping center."
As Turner allegedly continued to flee, police allege that he eventually lost control and hit two graduate students. Moments later, the van hit several parked vehicles. One of them had four people inside, and another had one person inside. A chain reaction ensued, causing a third pedestrian to be injured. Reportedly, this individual was hit by a vehicle pushed by one of the vehicles involved in the crash.
Graduate Student Dead
Unfortunately, one female University of Delaware graduate student, 24, died the same day she started attending classes, as per WPVI. According to KVNU Talk, a second graduate student suffered serious injuries and was rushed to a hospital. They remain in stable condition as of Wednesday, April 30. Three victims were transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Additionally, three others were treated at the scene for minor injuries.
Gordon Turner was arrested and charged with second-degree murder - death caused during commission of a felony, second-degree murder - reckless conduct showing indifference to human life, first-degree assault - conduct creating risk of death or serious injury, disregarding a police officer's signal, and possession/consumption of marijuana in excess of personal use quantity.
Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings called the incident a "gut-wrenching, senseless and intolerable crime."
"A student was murdered during an attempt by the defendant to evade a simple traffic stop by law enforcement," Jennings said. "These students were not in the wrong place at the wrong time — they were nine young people out on a beautiful spring day. One of those young people will never go home."
The University of Delaware issued a statement, addressing the tragic passing of the graduate student.
"This is a terrible tragedy," the statement read. "We speak for the entire University in offering our condolences to the families, friends and classmates of the victims, and keep the other members of our community in our thoughts who may have witnessed the crash and its aftermath."
The other passenger, who accompanied Turner, was also detained by has not been charged.
