UPDATED: Victim Identified in Deadly Car Crash in Dover

UPDATED 3/8/2019 at 12:46pm: Delaware State Police say they have identified the driver as 20-year-old Tighaira Lacree Sayles of Georgetown, DE. They were awaiting notification of next of kin to release her identity. Note: Delaware State Police originally had stated the driver was from Smyrna.

ORIGINAL POST: The Delaware State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit is investigating a fatal crash involving a single vehicle that occurred early this morning.

The incident occurred around 1:48 a.m. on Thursday when a 2008 Volkswagen Passat was traveling northbound on Pearson’s Corner Road (CR 101) south of Dinah’s Corner Road. The vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed when it entered a moderate right curve, causing it to exit the roadway and strike a private mailbox and plastic trash can. The vehicle continued northbound across a private yard and struck a pine tree. The impact caused the operator and passenger to be ejected from the vehicle.

The driver, a 20-year-old female from Smyrna was not properly restrained and pronounced dead at the scene. Identification is pending the notification of next of kin. The 26-year-old female passenger, also of Smyrna was not properly restrained, and was transported to Christiana Hospital where she was treated for non-life threatening injuries.

The roadway remained closed for around 5 hours as the crash was investigated.