Middletown Teen Dies In Fatal Crash

Smyrna - The Delaware State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit is investigating the fatal crash involving a 17 year old Middletown girl after she failed to stop on the command of police officer’s and rammed into a Smyrna Police Cruiser early this morning.

Sunday at approximately 1:10 am a uniformed trooper attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a 2008 Ford F250 pick-up on US 13 in the area of Blackbird Forest Road for suspicion of DUI. The operator ignored the emergency lights and siren of the police cruiser and failed to stop for the trooper continuing southbound on US 13 in the limits of Smyrna.

The operator then made an abrupt attempt to turn west onto Smyrna-Leipsic Road when the Ford failed to negotiate the turn and crashed into a fence on the southwest side of the intersection. A Smyrna Police Officer, in a fully marked police cruiser with lights and siren activated, pulled behind the pick-up in an effort to apprehend the operator. The officer, along with a DSP trooper, exited their patrol vehicles when the operator of the Ford Pick Up accelerated the vehicle in reverse ramming the Smyrna police cruiser nearly striking the approaching officers.

The Ford Pick-Up then fled west on Sunnyside Road. As officers were attempting to catch up to the fleeing vehicle the Ford exited the north edge of the roadway and overturned several times. As a result of the crash, the operator, who was later identified as Natacha A. Mitchell, 17 of Middletown died at the scene from injuries sustained in the crash. She was not wearing a seatbelt.

Preliminary investigation revealed Ms. Mitchell was operating the vehicle with a revoked driver’s license. The crash remains under investigation.