Bear, DE, Feb. 17, 2026, 2:08 p.m. ET — One occupant has died following a crash and fire involving a Jeep Compass on Route 40, according to Delaware State Police.
Troopers responded to the scene near David Place at approximately 3:30 p.m. on Feb. 15. Upon arrival, they discovered the vehicle had collided with a telephone pole and subsequently caught fire.
The occupants, a 70-year-old man and 71-year-old woman, were extracted from the vehicle just before the flames erupted. The woman, identified as Betty Williams, was transported to a local hospital, where she died early the following morning, Feb. 16. Authorities confirmed Williams was not wearing a seat belt.
The man sustained serious injuries and remains hospitalized. The cause of the crash is currently under investigation.
The incident is ongoing, with officials conducting further inquiries into the circumstances surrounding the collision.