Georgetown man charged with vehicular homicide following crash near Lewes

The Delaware State Police Crash Reconstruction Unit has charged a 24-year-old Georgetown man with vehicular homicide and related charges in connection with the death of a 2-year-old girl from a motor vehicle crash that occurred Aug. 17 near Lewes.

Preliminary investigation indicates that the crash occurred at approximately 9:20 p.m. as a 19-year-old man from Rehoboth Beach was operating a 1999 Chevrolet Trailblazer traveling John J. Williams Highway (Route 24) eastbound, west of Mulberry Knoll Road, stopping and preparing to make a left turn into a private driveway. The Trailblazer was stopped and had its left turn signal activated while waiting for westbound traffic to clear.

Henry Roblero-Mazariegos, 24, was operating a 2002 Mazda Protégé traveling eastbound on Route 24 and failed to observe the stopped Trailblazer. The front of the Mazda Protégé struck the rear the Chevrolet Trailblazer.

Genesis Valazquez-Santizo, 2, of Georgetown was a rear seat passenger in the Mazda Protégé operated by Roblero-Mazariegos. The investigation determined that the 2-year-old victim was not properly secured within the child restraint seat, and the seat was not properly secured within the vehicle, causing her to be ejected and propelled forward within the vehicle.

Genesis Valazquez-Santizo was transported by ambulance to Beebe Medical Center and pronounced dead due to traumatic injuries.

Roblero-Mazariegos was properly restrained and refused medical treatment.

The driver of the Chevrolet was properly restrained and was not injured. Two passengers of the Chevrolet identified as a 21-year-old male of Lewes, and a 17-year-old male, also from Lewes, were both properly restrained and transported to Beebe with non-life threatening injuries.

After further investigation it was determined that Roblero-Mazariegos was driving under the influence of alcohol. He was taken into custody without incident and charged with vehicular homicide second degree; two counts of vehicular assault second degree, driving under the influence of alcohol, driving while license suspended or revoked, child under 8 and under 65 pounds must be in child restraint. He was committed to Sussex Correctional Institution on $13, 001 cash bond.

The roadway was shut down in both directions for three hours while the crash was investigated and cleared. The Delaware State Police Crash Reconstruction Unit continues to investigate this crash.