Drunk Driver Crashes into Fenwick Island Police Vehicle

Location: Coastal Highway (SR1) northbound, north of Lewes Street, Fenwick Island, DE

Date of Occurrence: Thursday May 1, 2014 at approximately 9:45 p.m.

Operator and Vehicle Information:

Operator #1: Heath Clifford McDermott, 42, Bel Air, MD
Vehicle #1: 2010 Nissan Maxima
Passenger: 48 year old female, Osprey, FL

Operator #2: 33 year old male Fenwick Island Police Officer
Vehicle #2: 2013 Ford Explorer
Passenger: Shawn E. Moran, 59, Wilmington, DE

Vehicle #3: 2005 Toyota Sequoia
Passenger #1: 58 year old male, Wilmington, DE
Passenger #2: 60 year old male, Charleston, SC

Resume:
Fenwick Island, DE- The Delaware State Police are investigating a crash that occurred when a Bel Air, Maryland man struck the rear of a Fenwick Island Police vehicle.

The incident occurred around 9:45 p.m. last night on the northbound shoulder of Coastal Highway (SR1), north of Lewes Street, as a 33 year old Fenwick Island Police Officer was parked on the shoulder conducting a traffic stop on a suspected drunk driver. While the Officer was seated in the driver's seat of his 2013 Ford Explorer patrol vehicle and Shawn E. Moran was seated in the right rear passenger's seat, a 2010 Nissan Maxima, being operated by Heath Clifford McDermott, was traveling northbound in the right lane when it veered to the right and struck the left rear portion of the Explorer. The impact caused the Explorer to lurch forward and strike the rear of a 2005 Toyota Sequoia that had been pulled over during the initial stop. The Nissan continued northbound and overturned onto its roof, trapping the driver and a 48 year old female passenger.

Upon extrication from the vehicle, Heath McDermott was flown from the scene by State Police Helicopter to Christiana Medical Center where he is currently admitted with non-life-threatening injuries. The 48 year old female passenger was removed from the scene upon extrication and transported by EMS to Beebe Medical Center where she was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

The Officer and Shawn Moran were transported by EMS to Beebe ER where they were both treated and released with non-life-threatening injuries. The investigation into the suspected DUI is on-going by Fenwick Island Police Department and any media inquiries should be made to Chief Boyden.

A 58 year old male and a 60 year old male that were passengers in the parked Sequoia were removed from the scene by EMS and transported to Beebe Medical Center where they were treated and released with non-life-threatening injuries.

The investigation into this incident is on-going and charges are pending on Heath McDermott for suspected DUI and Vehicular Assault. Coastal Highway north of Fenwick Island was closed for approximately one and a half hours as the crash was investigated and cleared.