Suspect in fatal crash near Laurel faces multiple charges

Suspect in fatal crash near Laurel faces multiple charges Show Caption Hide Caption What to do if you come across a serious car accident These are the steps you should do if you encounter a serious car accident. A suspect behind the Aug. 27 fatal two-vehicle crash that took place near Laurel has been arrested by Delaware State Police, police announced Sept. 8. At around 5 p.m. Aug. 27, a Nissan Frontier ran through a stop sign at an intersection located near Old Stage Road while heading west on Salt Barn Road, hitting the driver's side of a Kia Sportage heading south on Old State approaching Salt Barn, police said. The driver of the Kia, later identified as a 54-year-old woman from Delmar, was pronounced dead on site. The driver of the Nissan was taken to a nearby hospital with serious injuries, the report continued. More: Woman dies after stop-sign crash near Laurel, police say Police later contacted the Nissan driver, identified as 63-year-old James Elliott of Laurel, at the hospital, where he reportedly exhibited 'signs of impairment,' according to the Sept. 8 press release. Troopers later obtained and carried out a warrant for a blood sample at the hospital. Elliot has been charged with second-degree vehicular homicide, driving under the influence of alcohol and failure to stop at a stop sign. The case remains under investigation by the Delaware State Police Troop 7 Collision Reconstruction Unit. Anyone who witnessed the collision or has video related to the incident is encouraged to contact Sergeant A. Mitchell at (302) 703-3269. Individuals can also send Delaware State Police a private Facebook message or calling Delaware Crime Stoppers at (800) 847-3333. Olivia Montes covers state government and community impact for Delaware Online/The News Journal. If you have a tip or a story idea, reach out to her at omontes@delawareonline.com.