.BRIDGEVILLE-ELLENDALE DE TORNADO...
RATING: EF-3
ESTIMATED PEAK WIND: 140 MPH
PATH LENGTH /STATUTE/: 14.3 MILES
PATH WIDTH /MAXIMUM/: 700 YARDS (0.4 MILES)
FATALITIES: 1
INJURIES: 0
START DATE: APRIL 1, 2023
START TIME: 5:59 PM EDT
START LOCATION: BRIDGEVILLE / SUSSEX COUNTY / DE
START LAT/LON: 38.7570 / -75.6398
END DATE: APRIL 1, 2023
END TIME: 6:19 PM EDT
END LOCATION: ELLENDALE / SUSSEX COUNTY / DE
END LAT/LON: 38.8180 / -75.3892
THE BRIDGEVILLE-ELLENDALE TORNADO BEGAN AROUND 5:59 PM EDT NEAR THE
INTERSECTION OF POLK ROAD AND DUBLIN HILL ROAD WHERE A SECTION OF A
SMALL BARN ROOF WAS BLOWN OFF. THE TORNADO CONTINUED EAST-NORTHEAST
CROSSING SEASHORE HIGHWAY. ALONG THIS SECTION OF THE DAMAGE PATH, A
COUPLE WOODEN POWER POLES WERE BLOWN DOWN ALONG WITH SEVERAL TREES
UPROOTED OR SNAPPED. ON TREE FELL ONTO A HOUSE CAUSING SIGNIFICANT
COLLATERAL ROOF DAMAGE. THE TORNADO CONTINUED EASTWARD PARALLELING
NEWTON ROAD WHERE A FARMSTEAD SUSTAIN SIGNIFICANT TREE DAMAGE. ABOUT
A HALF DOZEN PARKED SEMI-TRAILERS WERE BLOW OVER ALONG A DRIVEWAY.
FARTHER EAST, MORE TREE DAMAGE AND SNAPPED POWER POLES WERE
OBSERVED. NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF PRECIOUS LANE AND NEWTON ROAD, A
2 STORY HOUSE WAS COLLAPSED AFTER APPEARING TO HAVE SLID OFF ITS
FOUNDATION. A SMALL OUTBUILDING WAS ALSO SEVERELY DAMAGED NEARBY.
DEBRIS FROM THIS AREA WAS BLOWN SEVERAL HUNDRED YARDS EAST INTO
NEARBY FIELDS. ANOTHER FARMSTEAD WAS STRUCK BY THE TORNADO AS IT
CONTINUED EAST ON DALE FARM ROAD. A LARGE BARN HAD 2 EXTERIOR WALLS
BLOWN OUT AND A SMALLER SHED WAS BLOWN OVER. SEVERAL TREES WERE ALSO
SNAPPED OR UPROOTED ON THE PROPERTY.
THE TORNADO CONTINUED EAST, CROSSING A RAILROAD TRACK AND IMPACTING
A DELAWARE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FACILITY. ALONG THE RAILROAD
TRACK, A HALF DOZEN OR MORE WOODEN HIGH TENSION POWER POLES WERE
SNAPPED AND COLLAPSED ALONG WITH 2 STEEL HIGH TENSION POWER POLES.
THIS IS WHERE THE TORNADO'S ESTIMATED PEAK WIND SPEEDS OF 140 MPH
WERE REACHED. THE DE DOT FACILITY SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE. A
MAINTENANCE GARAGE BUILDING EXPERIENCED A COLLAPSE OF AN EXTERIOR
WALL AND LARGE PORTION OF ITS ROOF. 2 SMALLER GARAGE BUILDINGS
NEARBY EXPERIENCED SEVERAL GARAGE DOORS BLOWN OUT, ROOFING MATERIAL
REMOVAL, AND EXTERIOR WALL DAMAGE. A BUILDING STORING ROAD SALT HAD
IT'S ROOF COMPLETELY DESTROYED. THE FACILITY'S OFFICE BUILDING HAD A
FEW WINDOWS BLOWN OUT, SIDING, AND ROOFING MATERIAL BLOWN OFF. SOME
OF THE SIDING MATERIAL WAS FOUND EMBEDDED INTO THE GROUND
DOWNSTREAM WHERE A DELAWARE ENVIRONMENTAL OBSERVING SYSTEM MESONET
GAUGE MEASURED A 98 MPH WIND GUST AT 3 METERS (~10 FEET) ABOVE THE
GROUND AT 6:05 PM EDT.
THE TORNADO CONTINUED ACROSS A FIELD, THEN CROSSED US ROUTE 13 WHERE
A FEW UTILITY POLES WERE SNAPPED. THE TORNADO CONTINUED EAST INTO A
WOODED AREA WHERE SIGNIFICANT TREE DAMAGE OCCURRED. NUMEROUS TREES
WERE SNAPPED, ONE OF WHICH FELL ONTO A DOUBLE-WIDE MANUFACTURED
HOME. AFTER CONTINUING THROUGH THE WOODED AREA, THE TORNADO EMERGED
INTO A FIELD ALONG SUGAR HILL ROAD. A HOUSE ALONG THE ROAD SUSTAINED
SIGNIFICANT ROOF REMOVAL, EXTERIOR WALL DAMAGE, AND BLOWN OUT
WINDOWS. A SMALL OUTBUILDING SUSTAINED ROOF MATERIAL REMOVAL AND
SEVERAL TREES NEAR THE HOUSE WERE SNAPPED OR UPROOTED. THE TORNADO
CONTINUED ACROSS SUGAR HILL ROAD AND EAST INTO ANOTHER FIELD WHERE 2
IRRIGATION PIVOTS WERE BLOWN OVER. THE TORNADO EMERGED INTO A WOODED
RESIDENTIAL AREA ALONG FAWN ROAD WHERE THE TORNADO APPEARED TO HAVE
INTENSIFIED. THE TORNADO CAUSE SIGNIFICANT UPROOTED AND SNAPPED
TREES IN THE AREA AS WELL AS SIGNIFICANT REMOVAL OF ROOFING MATERIAL
AND BLOWN OUT WINDOWS TO SOME OF THE SINGLE-FAMILY HOUSES ALONG FAWN
ROAD. FARTHER EAST, THE SIGNIFICANT TREE DAMAGE CONTINUED AND A
LARGE DETACHED GARAGE COLLAPSED.
THE TORNADO CONTINUED NORTHEAST TOWARD THE NORTHERN EXTENSION OF
FAWN ROAD WHERE MORE SIGNIFICANT TREE DAMAGE OCCURRED. A SINGLE
STORY SINGLE FAMILY HOME APPEARED TO HAVE SLID OFF ITS FOUNDATION
AND COLLAPSED. A FEW OTHER HOMES SUSTAINED ROOFING MATERIAL AND
OTHER COSMETIC MATERIAL BLOWN OFF. THE TORNADO CONTINUED EAST INTO
ANOTHER WOODED RESIDENTIAL AREA ALONG QUAIL HOLLOW ROAD WHERE MOSTLY
SIGNIFICANT TREE DAMAGE OCCURRED. NUMEROUS TREES WERE SNAPPED OR
UPROOTED. ONE SNAPPED TREE FELL INTO A HOUSE CAUSING SIGNIFICANT
COLLATERAL DAMAGE. ON LARGE DETACHED GARAGE WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED
WITH EXTERIOR WALLS AND ROOF COLLAPSE NEAR TUCKERS ROAD AND QUAIL
HOLLOW ROAD.
THE TORNADO MOVED NORTHEAST FROM THIS AREA INTO A WOODED AREA JUST
SOUTH OF TUCKERS ROAD, EMERGING INTO AN OPEN FIELD. THIS WAS THE
POINT WHERE THE TORNADO REACHED ITS MAXIMUM WITH OF ABOUT 700 YARDS
(~0.4 MILES). THE TORNADO STRUCK A SMALL FARMSTEAD ALONG TUCKERS
ROAD. THE HOUSE APPEARED TO HAVE SLIDE OFF ITS FOUNDATION AND
COLLAPSED. 2 BARNS ON THE PROPERTY WERE COMPLETELY DESTROYED ALONG
WITH SNAPPED TREES AND POWER POLES. FARTHER EAST, SEVERAL HOMES
SUSTAINED DAMAGE FROM FALLEN TREES AND WIND BLOWING OFF ROOF
MATERIAL. A FEW IRRIGATION PIVOTS WERE BLOWN OVER IN THIS AREA.
NUMEROUS TREES WERE SNAPPED OR UPROOTED ALONG OWENS ROAD AND SHARPS
MILL ROAD NEAR TUCKERS ROAD. JUST EAST OF TUCKERS ROAD, A SINGLE
FAMILY HOUSE SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT STRUCTURAL DAMAGE. A LARGE
SECTION OF ROOF WAS BLOWN OFF AND AN EXTERIOR WALL WAS PARTIALLY
BLOWN OUT. SEVERAL WINDOWS WERE BLOWN OUT AND THE VINYL FENCING ON
THE PROPERTY WAS ALMOST COMPLETELY BLOWN AWAY. A FEW MORE TREES AND
MINOR COSMETIC DAMAGE TO STRUCTURES OCCURRED A FEW HUNDRED YARDS
EAST OF TUCKERS ROAD AS THE TORNADO CONTINUED NORTHEAST. ANOTHER
RESIDENCE WAS STRUCK BY THE TORNADO ON TUCKERS ROAD WHERE A LARGE
PORTION OF EXTERIOR WALL ALONG THE ATTIC WAS BLOWN OFF. THE HOME'S
CHIMNEY WAS ALSO BLOWN OFF AND A FEW WINDOWS WERE BLOWN OUT. A
DETACHED GARAGE ON THE PROPERTY HAD ITS ROOF ALMOST COMPLETELY BLOWN
OFF. A CHICKEN HOUSE BEHIND THE RESIDENCE HAD A SMALL PORTION OF ITS
ROOF BLOWN OFF. SOME TREES WERE UPROOTED ALONG A TREE LINE BEFORE
THE TORNADO MOVED INTO A LARGE AND INACCESSIBLE WOODED AREA.
THE TORNADO APPEARED TO HAVE MAINTAINED A FAIRLY STEADY INTENSITY AS
IT CONTINUED NORTHEAST TOWARD ELLENDALE WHILE CROSSING SEVERAL
ROADS. THE TORNADO CROSSED OAK ROAD, B AND R ROAD, OAKLEY ROAD,
UNION CHURCH ROAD, AND BEAVER DAM ROAD. ALONG THESE ROAD CROSSINGS,
THE TORNADO PRODUCED CONSISTENT TREE DAMAGE AND SOME MINOR COSMETIC
DAMAGE TO SOME HOMES. MORE NOTABLE AREAS OF DAMAGE INCLUDE: A LARGE
CHICKEN HOUSE ALONG B AND R ROAD WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED WITH SOME
COLLAPSE OF THE NORTHERN END OF THE STRUCTURE; A HOUSE ALONG OAKLEY
ROAD HAD AN EXTERIOR GARAGE WALL PUSHED INWARD; MORE SIGNIFICANT
TREE DAMAGE WAS ALSO NOTED ALONG OAKLEY ROAD; AND A SMALL PORTION OF
A SINGLE FAMILY HOUSE WAS BLOWN OFF ON BEAVER DAM ROAD.
THE TORNADO CROSSED US ROUTE 113 INTO ELLENDALE WHERE SPORADIC TREE
DAMAGE OCCURRED IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA ALONG SHARONS ROAD. AN ENTIRE
ATTACHED GARAGE ROOF AND WALLS WERE BLOWN OFF ON A SINGLE FAMILY
HOME ON PINE OAK STREET NEAR SHARONS ROAD. SOME OTHER HOUSES
SUSTAINED ROOF MATERIAL BLOWN OFF IN THIS AREA. THE TORNADO CROSSED
BEACH HIGHWAY/MAIN STREET NEAR OLD STATE ROAD WHERE SOME MINOR TREE
DAMAGE OCCURRED AND SOME SHINGLES WERE BLOWN OFF OF A FEW HOMES. THE
TORNADO CROSSED WASHINGTON AVENUE AND MCCAULLEY AVENUE WHERE A SMALL
PORTION OF ROOF MATERIAL WAS BLOW OFF OF A FREE STANDING GARAGE. THE
TORNADO BEGAN TO WEAKEN CONSIDERABLY MOVING NORTHEAST OF DOWNTOWN
ELLENDALE. IT CROSSED PONDER ROAD WHERE SOME ROOF MATERIAL WAS BLOWN
OFF OF A AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE BUILDING. THE TORNADO CONTINUED INTO A
WOODED AREA THEN CROSSED HOLLY TREE ROAD EMERGING INTO A FIELD. THE
TORNADO CIRCULATION DISSIPATED AROUND 6:19 PM EDT JUST AFTER TURNING
OVER AN IRRIGATION PIVOT NEAR HUMMINGBIRD ROAD AND BENSON ROAD.
ONE FATALITY OCCURRED FROM THIS TORNADO, BUT NO OTHER KNOWN SERIOUS
INJURIES OCCURRED.
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SURVEY TEAM WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE
DELAWARE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY AND SUSSEX COUNTY EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT AGENCY FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE WITH THIS SURVEY.
Brittallia Semaan, of New Castle, DE – Delaware State Police Dept.
A New Castle woman is behind bars on multiple felony charges, including vehicular homicide, after police say she carjacked a vehicle and struck and killed a man.
According to Delaware State Police, the incident occurred around 9:30 a.m., Sunday, March 13 as troopers were dispatched to the area of 4049 New Castle Avenue for a reported carjacking. The initial investigation determined a female suspect, later identified as Brittallia Semaan, entered the front passenger side of a parked white Chevrolet Trax.
A 67-year-old male and 66-year-old female attempted to remove Brittallia from their SUV but were unsuccessful as she moved into the driver’s seat. As Brittallia attempted to flee the area, the female victim was struck by the SUV and sustained non-life-threatening injuries. At the time of the initial carjacking, two juveniles were seated in the backseat of the SUV but were successfully able to exit before Brittallia fled with the Trax southbound on RT. 9.
Moments later, Brittallia struck a 48-year-old New Castle man just south of Boothhurst Blvd. The victim was transported by EMS to an area hospital where he, unfortunately, died from his injuries. Identification is pending notification to next of kin. This fatal pedestrian collision remains under investigation by the Delaware State Police Troop 2 Collision Reconstruction Unit. Additional information regarding the crash will be released once it becomes available.
After the fatal pedestrian crash, Brittallia flees southbound into Old New Castle and enters the parking lot of the SPCA located in the area of South Street and 6th Street. At the same time, a 19-year-old female pedestrian was walking in the parking lot. For unknown reasons, Brittallia swerved into the pedestrian’s path, striking her. Fortunately, the victim sustained minor injuries.
Brittallia then exited the parking lot and traveled southbound on South Street before turning right onto Washington Street and began traveling northbound. At the same time, a Maserati was traveling southbound on Washington Street, approaching Brittallia’s vehicle.
For unknown reasons, Brittallia crossed over the double yellow line and crashed head-on with the Maserati on Rt 141 just before the intersection of SR 273. The driver, a 34-year-old Wilmington man, and passenger, a 26-year-old Wilmington woman, sustained non-life-threatening injuries during the crash.
After the crash occurred, a good Samaritan stopped at the crash scene to help. At that time, Brittallia entered the backseat of the 62-year-old New Castle man’s Ford Explorer. He confronted her and told her to exit his car. As she complied, she quickly entered the driver’s seat and attempted to flee the scene. The 62-year-old male tried to stop Brittallia but was unsuccessful and was dragged a short distance but was uninjured. As Brittallia fled the scene, a 77-year-old New Castle woman was still seated in the front passenger seat.
With the female passenger still in the Explorer, Brittallia continued traveling onto southbound River Road, where she collided with the rear of a Honda Odyssey in the area of Hamburg Rd. The 52-year-old female driver and the 77-year-old female passenger in Brittallia’s vehicle sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
An off-duty Wilmington Police Department Officer observed the second carjacking and followed Brittallia when he observed the final collision. With the assistance of a former New Castle County Police Officer, who had also stopped to render aid at the scene, Brittallia Semaan was apprehended until Troopers arrived. Brittallia was taken into custody and transported to Delaware State Police Troop 2, where this investigation remains ongoing. Once charges and mugshot become available, a press release will be issued.
The Delaware State Police would like to recognize and thank all of the good Samaritans who stopped and acted selfless today to help render aid to those in need.
Anyone who may have witnessed these incidents is asked to contact Delaware State Police Troop 2 by calling 302-834-2620. Information may also be provided by sending a private message through Facebook Messenger to Delaware State Police or calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-847-3333.
