Police: Speeding SUV Causes Delco Fatal Crash

An SUV speeding through Delaware County caused a deadly crash Tuesday.

The vehicle sped along Route 352 in Middletown township, catching the attention of police and other drivers before 8 a.m.

Police said the 18-year old driver of the Ford Explorer, identified as Jonathan Trueheart of Ambler, Pa., sped through an active school zone, and that's when a Parkside Borough officer and others spotted it.

Officers lost sight of the SUV as it approached Dutton Mill Road and then got word it crashed into several other cars at Route 352 and Knowlton Road.

According to police, the SUV had moved into oncoming traffic, ran a red light and slammed into a vehicle driven by 33-year-old Joseph Sherlock, of Upper Providence, killing him instantly.

Police said Sherlock's car then careened into two others.

Trueheart was recovering under police guard Tuesday night at Crozer-Chester Hospital from injuries that were not deemed life-threatening.

Witnesses said the teen's vehicle was going well over 100 mph, but police said they still don't know why. They have a lot of questions for him.

"I don't think in a situation like this we're ever going to be able to make sense of it. We're never going to be able to justify what happened -- what would make an 18-year-old individual recklessly drive a car like that through a school zone during rush hour," state police Capt. David Young said.

Authorities have not filed charges against the 18-year-old. They said they expect to do so as early as Wednesday and are continuing to investigate, including whether he might have been under the influence.

"I'm sure the math will tell us that he was always doing above the speed limit from the second he was seen until the point of impact," Young said.