State police are investigating an accident that injured an Ellendale fire policeman who was directing traffic at a crash scene early Monday west of Ellendale.
The first accident occurred about 5:25 a.m. on Del. 16 just west of Union Church Road (Sussex 42), said Cpl. Jeffrey Oldham, spokesman for the Delaware State Police.
Corey D. Cohee, 23, of Milford, was driving a 2002 Dodge pickup west on Del. 16 when he made a U-turn and got stuck in a ditch on the eastbound side, police said. Danny R. Johnson, 48, of Ellendale, stopped to help, parking his 2000 Ford pickup on Del. 16 to pull Cohee's truck out of the ditch.
Brent A. Ricketts, 34, of Greenwood, driving a 1990 Chevrolet van east on Del. 16, swerved to avoid Johnson's truck, police said. Ricketts' van traveled onto the shoulder and struck Clarence R. Knell, 41, of Milford, a passenger from Cohee's vehicle who was standing outside of it.
Knell, who was pinned between the vehicles, was taken to Milford Memorial Hospital, then transferred to Christiana Hospital and admitted with leg injuries.
Police charged Cohee with making an unsafe U-turn and Johnson with illegally parking his vehicle in the road.
While police were investigating that crash at about 7 a.m., a second accident occurred.
The road's eastbound lane was closed, and an Ellendale fire policeman, Norman Layton, 73, of Ellendale, was standing partly in the westbound lane assisting with traffic control, Oldham said. Layton was wearing a reflective vest and holding a lighted wand.
Russell B. Layton, 72, of Greenwood, was driving a 2002 Toyota Tacoma east through the crash scene slowly, but apparently did not see Norman Layton, Oldham said. The front of the Toyota struck Norman Layton and knocked him down.
Norman Layton, who is not related to Russell Layton, was admitted to Milford Memorial Hospital with a broken thighbone and abrasions, Oldham said. The second crash remains under investigation.
Rowland Moore, chief of Ellendale Fire Company, said Norman Layton has been with the fire company more than 20 years.
