'Out of a Hollywood movie': Dad saves family from fiery crash in Delaware

Maggie Kent Image
Thursday, August 29, 2019
'Out of a Hollywood movie': Dad saves family from fiery crash
'Out of a Hollywood movie': Dad saves family from fiery crash. Maggie Kent has more on Action News at 6 p.m. on August 27, 2019.

HOCKESSIN, Delaware (WPVI) -- The Action Cam captured the dramatic moments as first responders searched for occupants of a car that ended up on fire in a Delaware creek Tuesday night.

It happened around 10 p.m. on Lancaster Pike near Hercules Road in Hockessin.

Police said the driver was traveling westbound on Lancaster Pike when a second car, possibly a white Chevy Tahoe, abruptly changed lanes forcing the car off of the roadway.

The car traveled off of the right side of the road, hitting a guardrail and concrete barrier before dropping over a 40-foot embankment and landing on its roof in the creek below. The car then caught fire while in the water.

Chief Quint Saienni of the Hockessin Fire Company was one of the first to arrive on scene.

"He swerved to miss the car that cut him off and he hit the guardrail and just happened to throw himself on the bridge," said Saienni.

Police said there were three people in the car at the time of the incident: the driver, a 42-year-old man from West Grove, Pennsylvania, a 31-year-old Hockessin woman and a 17-day-old baby girl, all of whom were able to exit the car before it caught fire.

"It's like a perfect storm. Dad was able to free himself and free his family out before anything traumatic and terrible happened," said Cheif Saienni. "It seems like out of a Hollywood movie."

The driver and the woman were treated at Christiana Hospital for minor injuries. Officials said the infant was also transported to the hospital for evaluation.

According to investigators, there was no contact between the two cars, however, troopers are still attempting to locate the car and identify it as part of their ongoing investigation.

Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to contact Delaware State Police Troop 1 at 302-761-6677.