Aggressive driving causes death of two children; injures 11 others
The crash occurred at 8:46 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 24, on southbound Route 113 in Bridgeville. Bushweller said Toneka Townsend, 26, of Lewes, was driving a 1997 Ford van southbound on Route 113. There were 13 people in the van that was registered to Grace-N-Mercy Ministries of Georgetown.
The only people in the van who were wearing seat belts were Townsend and a front-seat passenger. Bushweller said the van had three bench seats behind the front seats; each had three working seat belts per seat. As Townsend traveled southbound, a 1997 Dodge Neon pulled up behind her at a high rate of speed. Bushweller said the Neon attempted to swerve right just before striking the rear of the van. The impact caused the van to spin out of control and onto the center grass median. It overturned and landed on its passenger side in the northbound lanes.
As the van overturned, Kayla was partially ejected; Tashaun was completely ejected. Ten other passengers and the driver of the van were injured and transported to area hospitals to be treated.
Witnesses told police they saw a man exit the Neon after the crash and run westbound into a wooded area. Sussex County dispatchers received a call at 9:06 p.m., in which Reagan M. Ogden’s mother reported her Dodge Neon was stolen from the driveway at her Stone Gray Lane, Bridgeville residence.
Police became suspicious, and at 12:30 a.m., they contacted Ogden at his mother’s home. The troopers noted Ogden had an abrasion on his nose, but he told the investigators the Neon had been stolen and he was not operating the car at the time of the crash. As investigators continued to probe his statements, he confessed to being involved in the crash and fleeing from the scene.
“Ogden ran to a convenience store in Bridgeville and called a person who picked him up and gave him a ride to his mother’s residence,” said Bushweller.
Besides the children who were killed and the driver who was injured, the others injured in the van were a Lewes male, 17; Lewes girl, 7; Bridgeville woman, 27; Laurel woman, 23; Seaford male, 14; Laurel female, 13; Seaford boy, 10; Laurel boy, 9; Bridgeville boy, 9; and Laurel girl, 3.
Defendant’s parents charged
Ogden was charged with two counts of vehicular homicide, leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death and driving after judgment prohibited. He was remanded to Sussex Correctional Institution in default of $55,000 cash bail, pending further court action.
Ogden’s parents were also charged, said Bushweller. As troopers investigated the facts of the case, they concluded Regan M. Ogden and Mary E. Ogden - Reagan M. Ogden’s parents, both 53 – were culpable for their alleged role in registering a false complaint to police.
He said both parents provided false information to the investigator about their son’s involvement in the crash, but it appeared they knew their son had been involved. Ogden’s mother also knew her son did not possess a valid driver’s license but allowed him to drive the vehicle anyway, said Bushweller.
Troopers charged each of the parents with hindering prosecution, second-degree conspiracy and falsely reporting an incident. Mary Ogden was also charged with knowingly permitting an unlicensed driver to operate a vehicle. The Ogdens turned themselves in at Troop 5 Wednesday, Feb. 25. Regan M. Ogden, the father, was released on $1,250 unsecured bond, and Mary Ogden was released on $1,350 unsecured bond.
Crash victims
Killed:
Kayla Tate, 12, Lewes
Tashaun Mallory, 10, Laurel
Injured:
Female, 3, Laurel
Female, 7, Lewes
Male, 9, Laurel
Male, 9, Bridgeville
Male, 10, Seaford
Female, 13, Laurel
Male, 14, Seaford
Male, 17, Lewes
Female, 23, Laurel
Female, 26, Lewes (driver)
Female, 27, Bridgeville
