Aggressive Driver Claims the Life Of Passenger UPDATED

Location of Incident: Southbound Coastal Highway ¼ south if Cave Neck Road, 2 miles north of Lewes, Sussex County.

Date and Time of Occurrence: Wednesday July 22, 2009 at approximately 18:32 hours

Delaware State Police are investigating a crash involving an aggressive driver which resulted in the death of a passenger.

Troopers learned that Troy R. Hess, 37, of Viola, DE was operating a 2000 Chevrolet Corvette southbound. Troopers were told by several witnesses that the Corvette was driving very aggressively on Coastal Highway. Witnesses reported that the Corvette was passing on the shoulder and traveling at an extremely high rate of speed. As the Corvette was changing lanes multiple times it struck the rear of a 2008 Toyota Hybrid minivan which was southbound in the right lane. As a result of the collision the minivan was forced off the roadway and into a ditch. The van overturned and the front seat passenger was ejected from the vehicle.

The driver of the van was identified as Virginia R. Higgins, 64, of Milton. She was flown to Christiana Hospital near Newark where she was admitted for contusions and lacerations. Higgins was wearing her seatbelt.

The front seat passenger who was ejected was identified as Rodney J. Long, 64, of Womelsdorf, PA. Long was pronounced dead at the scene as a result of injuries sustained from being ejected. He was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.

Long’s wife, K. Eileen Long, 60, also of Womelsdorf, PA, was seated in the rear seat of the van. She was also flown to Christiana Hospital and was admitted in serious condition with a fractured spine, hip and legs. She was also not wearing a seat belt.

Hess was taken to Beebe Hospital in Lewes where he was treated for minor injures. Hess was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.

Hess also had a female passenger in the car identified Diana C. Sanchez, 38, of Frankford. Sanchez was also wearing a seatbelt. She was also taken to Beebe Hospital where she was treated for minor injuries.

Hess in currently in state police custody and charges are pending. Hess also attempted to attack a DENREC Officer, who was the first to arrive on the scene, with a club.

Drugs and alcohol is suspected in the crash. The investigation is still on going.

UPDATE:

The Driver of the Corvette which was involved in last evenings crash is Tory R. Hess not Troy Hess as previously reported.

Hess was formally charged with:
Manslaughter
Vehicular Assault 1st
Vehicular Assault 2nd
DUI
Aggressive Driving
Driving While Suspended
Menacing - for threatening the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Officer

Bail was set at $9,200.00 and he was committed to the Sussex Correctional Institution in Georgetown