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transportation

Polly Trottenberg, NYC’s Department Of Transportation Commissioner And Champion Of ‘Vision Zero,’ Resigns

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — It’s the end of the road for Mayor Bill de Blasio ‘s transportation commissioner. Polly Trottenberg is quitting, perhaps to take a job with President-elect Joe Biden. She is the latest key player to leave City Hall in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, CBS2’s Tony Aiello reported Monday. For more than seven years Trottenberg was one of the mayor’s highest-profile commissioners. Trottenberg had a huge portfolio, covering all things related to city streets. Now, she’s hitting the road with 13 months left in the de Blasio administration. “We all owe Polly Trottenberg a debt of gratitude for her incredible service to New York City,” said de Blasio. “She is a tireless and talented public servant who has made our city safer, fairer, and more accessible. I’m proud to have worked so closely with her, and I wish her all the best in whatever comes next.” “I will always be grateful to Mayor de Blasio for the incredible opportunity to serve the city I love so much, and especially for the chance to lead the 5,800 dedicated public servants at DOT,” Trottenberg said. “I have been honored to work with them and see the passion, creativity and dedication they bring every day to serving New Yorkers, especially during the pandemic of the last eight months. For now, I just say thank you, one and all.” MORE FROM CBS NEW YORK COVID In New York: Cuomo Says It’s Possible NYC Schools Could Reopen Even If Positivity Rate Stays Above 3% Pushes, Punches, Slashings: With Violence Getting Out Of Control On NYC Subways, Guardian Angels Step Up To Patrol NYPD Officer Assaulted By Multiple People While Jogging In Queens Trottenberg told the New York Times she was not particularly close to de Blasio, and they didn’t speak that often, but together they pushed through major projects, including “ Vision Zero ,” with its speed cameras and pedestrian plazas, and the lowering of the speed limit to 25 mph. There was also the reconfiguration of city streets, including the 14th Street busway and a tripling of bike lane mileage. During the pandemic, she was successful in devoting more street space to restaurants and recreation. “The real issue here is why is she leaving now? And why are so many de Blasio people leaving before we get close to the end of his term?” political consultant Hank Sheinkopf said. Sheinkopf pointed to the mid-pandemic departures of Health Commissioner Oxiris Barbot and Department of Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia , who also served as food czar. “You’re in a pandemic, a fiscal crisis, and, frankly, a city management emergency. It’s just not looking very good and de Blasio’s future and his legacy will be judged by what happens now, not what’s happened in the past,” Sheinkopf said. De Blasio said every departed commissioner leaves behind a capable team. “We already have the best talent. We have a very deep bench,” the mayor said. As his time in office heads to the ninth inning, more are expected to leave Team de Blasio. Advocacy groups such as Transportation Alternatives and Riders Alliance praised Trottenberg as a savvy commissioner who made a real difference. “New Yorkers owe Polly Trottenberg a sincere debt of gratitude. During her tenure, the Department of Transportation rolled out more bus lanes, traffic safety cameras, and other improvements citywide, often despite rabid NIMBYism and unfair resistance,” the Riders Alliance said in a statement. “While representing New York City on the MTA board, Commissioner Trottenberg was also a rare authoritative, independent voice for millions of public transit riders. New York is a safer and fairer city today thanks to her sustained efforts.” Trottenberg has been tapped to join the Biden-Harris presidential transition team as part of an 18-member transportation panel. Her resignation is effective next month.

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Polly Trottenberg, NYC’s Department Of Transportation Commissioner And Champion Of ‘Vision Zero,’ Resigns

November 23, 2020 0 comment

news

Missing New Jersey Teen Possibly Spotted In Ohio, Police Say

written by AngelaGossett

MIAMI TOWNSHIP, Ohio (CBSNewYork) – Police say a missing New Jersey boy, who reportedly ran off in late October, has been spotted in Ohio. Police in Miami Township, in the western part of the state near Indiana, announced on Friday that they have received reports that 15-year-old Thomas Kolding has been sighted in their area. “He’s a good kid. I want to believe he’s on an adventure and there will be a day to say ‘don’t do that again,’ but we just want him back. We just want our arms around him now it’s time,” the teen’s father Nicolai Kolding told CBS2’s Ali Bauman. The high school freshman left behind his cell phone, his laptop, and took about $1,000 from savings. The father says his son always wanted to go to California, even though he doesn’t know anyone there. Missing teen Thomas Kolding (Credit: CBS2) Thomas did leave behind one clue. “There’s a letter he wrote to a girl he’s very good friends with that basically said I need to go see the world and I’ll be back one day,” Kolding said. The 15-year-old was reportedly spotted at the Walter Rand Transportation Center in Camden on Nov. 3, according to CBS Philly . Thomas has been missing since Oct. 30. Police say he initially traveled by train from Denville to Newark-Broad Street Station and then to New York Penn Station. Authorities in Ohio say he was last spotted carrying a blue Adidas backpack and might be wearing a camouflage jacket.

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Missing New Jersey Teen Possibly Spotted In Ohio, Police Say

November 11, 2018 0 comment

news Rap

New York City Speed Camera Enforcement Suspended After Failure To Reach Deal

written by EugeniaDesantis

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) — New York City has suspended its use of speed cameras to crack down on dangerous driving near schools after lawmakers in Albany were unable to renew the program. The state law authorizing the cameras expired Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. when state lawmakers couldn’t come to an agreement on extending the use of the 120 cameras before they wrapped up their annual session last month. In a last-ditch effort Tuesday, Mayor Bill de Blasio joined advocates at a rally to urge the State Senate to keep the city’s speed camera program alive and to return to Albany and act on a bill. Sonia Russo’s 4-year-old daughter Ariel was killed as the little girl was being walk to her day care in June of 2013. The tragedy was one of several cases that led to a camera enforcement test program. City officials credit the devices with decreasing speeding violations in school zones. According to officials, where the cameras are placed by schools speeding has gone down 60 percent. “Right now, compared to last year, we are at 22 fewer fatalities, which is a pretty, pretty dramatic place to be,” said Department of Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg. Gov. Andrew Cuomo and de Blasio blame the Republican-led Senate for failing to renew the measure. The legislation passed the Democrat-controlled Assembly last month. Republicans instead offered a bill for more red lights and stop signs around schools and have suggested more police officer patrols. Sen. Martin Golden, who is holding a Brooklyn news conference on the speed cameras Wednesday afternoon, recently threw his support behind keeping the cameras going. About a week ago, CBS2’s Marcia Kramer demanded answers from him. “Is there any reason why the State Senate of New York can’t go back and pass this bill before the deadline?” she asked. “No,” Golden replied. “So why don’t you do it?” Kramer asked. “That’s exactly what I’m trying to do,” he said. In response, the governor said in part: “Maybe he should hold a protest in front of Senator Flanagan’s office and demand he bring his own conference back to Albany to vote for speed cameras on the merits, like they should have done in June.” So far Republicans have balked at the request to return, blaming Cuomo for the impasse. Only 20 mobile cameras will now be operational, and the mayor says those are set to expire in about a month. Calling state senators back to Albany can be done by the Senate Majority Leader or by the governor. After all the finger pointing, some advocates say they don’t care who does it as long as it gets done. (© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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New York City Speed Camera Enforcement Suspended After Failure To Reach Deal

July 25, 2018 0 comment

news

Bye Bye, BIRDie: Beverly Hills Bans Electric Scooters For 6 Months, Pending Regulation

written by PattiRiemer

BEVERLY HILLS (CBSLA) — The Beverly Hills City Council on Tuesday had harsh words for electric scooter companies it said brought them into the city without permission. The council banned the scooters for six months, at the end of which they hope to have regulations on the devices some said are a danger to riders and pedestrians. “Forgiveness is really not appropriate because what they did was really disgusting,” Mayor Julian Gold said Tuesday of electric scooter companies like BIRD and Lime. “They put everybody in this room at risk, and they put your kids at risk, and there’s no responsibility for it, at all.” “If you imagine just walking on the sidewalk and somebody on a scooter at 15 miles an hour hits you, it can be fatal,” echoed council member Lili Bosse. They’re concerned about the ubiquity of the scooters since companies “dumped” them on the city without input from lawmakers. Beverly Hills Police recently posted of photo of a woman getting a citation on a scooter. They’ve cited or warned 150 riders for violations that include riding without a helmet, on the sidewalk and without a license. Still, some told the council the scooters are here to stay, with or without their approval. These scooter are gonna still enter, they still will enter Beverly Hills,” said one man. “It’s going to be a burden against the police to enforce the ban at the level that you’re looking for.” Companies will be fined $172 for every scooter the city has to recover from the street.

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Bye Bye, BIRDie: Beverly Hills Bans Electric Scooters For 6 Months, Pending Regulation

July 25, 2018 0 comment

International news

New 3-D Scanners Spot Explosives Older Machines Could Miss, TSA Says

written by ConsuelTew

NEW YORK (CBSNews) — The Transportation Security Administration is launching new technology that could change the way bags are scanned at airports across the country. The goal is to replace aging X-ray scanners with new 3-D carry-on bag scanners that use the same technology as CT scans. The TSA believes they will spot explosives older machines could miss. The brand-new Analogic 3-D CT scanner can see through just about anything in a carry-on bag to spot a potential threat. The TSA is rolling it out at a checkpoint at the American Airlines terminal at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City. Concerns about certain explosives getting by some older X-ray machines prompted TSA to ask travelers to take devices larger than a phone out of their bags, and remove food, liquids, and most recently powders. This new technology may bring all that to an end. The Analogic scanner works like a CT machine in a hospital, seeing through even a cluttered bag and giving screeners the ability to zoom in and rotate the bag for a 360-degree view. American Airlines donated eight of the roughly $300,000 scanners to TSA, including the one at JFK. “We think in perhaps five years or so, the passengers won’t have to take anything out of their carry-on bags,” said TSA Administrator David Pekoske, who described the technology as revolutionary. “What it’s capable of doing is detecting a wider range of explosives, which is very important, [as well as] a much lower weight of explosives,” Pekoske told correspondent Kris Van Cleave. “They’re just much better at detection, so you really get better security faster, essentially.” The TSA plans to have 15 scanners deployed to airports by the end of the year, and are authorized to buy up to 240 in 2019. They’ll need about 2,000 to cover every airport checkpoint in the country. Jose Freig, American Airlines’ head of security, told Van Cleave what travelers could come to expect: “Just getting to that point when, in a non-precheck lane, you’re able to keep your liquids, gels, aerosols, and laptops and electronics in your bags. It’s a new era, if you will, and we’re really excited about it.” The TSA tested the scanners in Phoenix and Boston, and have found them to speed up the screening process by reducing the need for secondary bag checks. Congress is pushing the TSA to get these out there as quickly as possible, but it’ll take years to replace the old X-ray machines at every airport.

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New 3-D Scanners Spot Explosives Older Machines Could Miss, TSA Says

July 23, 2018 0 comment

news

Rockaway Residents Want Something Done About Dangerous Stretch Of Roadway

written by MichaelKornweib

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – Residents in one part of the Rockaways say a major road is more like a raceway. They have been asking for help and say it’s a matter of life and death. As CBS2’s Lisa Rozner reported, family and friends said final goodbyes Friday to 63-year-old Valerie Razack. Police said the Arverne resident was struck by a car in the crosswalk at Beach 73 rd Street last Wednesday, and she had the walk signal. “It’s so sudden,” said her aunt, Shirley Razack. “I do hope they do something so that somebody else won’t get killed over there.” The dangerous intersection now has a flashing speed limit sign. It’s only a block from Beachfront Road, near a new development and a new road that was opened to traffic in the last few years. “You will see crowds of people trying to navigate crossing this street,” Community Board 14 member Chris Tedesco told Rozner. “You won’t find a speed limit sign, you won’t find a speed hump, you won’t find a stop sign, you won’t find a traffic light.” Residents say there’s no safe way to cross the street for 13 blocks from Beach 59 th Street to Beach 73 rd Street. Some have even taken it upon themselves to put a stop sign in, but it was taken down. It’s a conundrum: The Department of Transportation can’t install a sign, Rozner reported. It doesn’t have jurisdiction of that particular stretch. A different city agency – Housing and Preservation Development – runs the road, but is not allowed to put up traffic signs. “It’s a lot of commercial vehicles, private charter buses, I’ve even seen a 53-foot semi come through here,” said resident Charles Christie. The DOT and HPD confirmed they are working on transferring the street to DOT. “We followed up with them this week, and they said that they’re meeting next week with HPD to transfer over the property. And we’ll be calling next week to keep this moving forward, so that this community can feel safe,” said Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato. The community hopes the city will install traffic signs, and not put them off with more studies. The DOT said it’s looking into whether speed bumps could be installed on the road, but would not provide a timeline.

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Rockaway Residents Want Something Done About Dangerous Stretch Of Roadway

July 20, 2018 0 comment

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MTA Needs To Spend $7 Billion More On Subway, Study Says

written by SavannaGomes

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — A new study from a local watchdog group says the Metropolitan Transportation Authority needs to spend billions more on subway cars. The MTA ‘s current budget provides $1.7 billion to purchase new cars and overhaul existing ones. But the nonpartisan Citizens Budget Commission says that figure is about $7 billion short. The group recommends spending $8.3 billion on more than 3,600 new subway cars and another $710 million to overhaul existing cars over the next ten years.

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MTA Needs To Spend $7 Billion More On Subway, Study Says

July 19, 2018 0 comment

news Rap

Self-Driving Vehicles Take Test Drives Around Times Square

written by Adrienn33Q

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – Traffic in New York City can be maddening for anyone sitting behind the wheel, but now a company has come up with a plan to make things better for those trying to get around: Just let the vehicle drive itself. The future of urban transportation could be in small driverless, self-driving vehicles like small shuttle buses ordered up from an app, reports CBS2’s Scott Rapoport. The shift is the brainchild of Coast Autonomous , a company which came up with the concept and held a demonstration Tuesday in Times Square. “Driverless vehicles, once they get fully deployed, are gonna be a lower coast because you don’t have the expense of a driver,” said Rick Baker, head of urban development for Coast Autonomous. The company says its vehicles are perfect for short distance shuttle trips at airports, college campuses, theme parks and low speed, highly congested areas in New York City. The vehicles are slow moving – only going up to 20 miles an hour – and hold up to 12 people at a time. “We see during peak hours this could run on a fixed route and on off-peak hours, you call it from an app and it goes point-to-point as an on demand service,” said Adrian Sussman, managing director of Coast Autonomous. The company claims it could reduce cars on the street and ease gridlock, but the city’s Department of Transportation says it has not had any official contact with Coast Autonomous. Without a driver, the vehicle is equipped with sensors which the company says uses radar to detect the presence of pedestrians in crosswalks and traffic around it. “When it sees an obstruction on the road it sends a signal for the vehicle to stop,” said Baker. The company insists its vehicles are safe though clearly in the concept stage. After testing them in seven countries, they hope to bring the vehicles to the U.S. next year.

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Self-Driving Vehicles Take Test Drives Around Times Square

July 17, 2018 0 comment

news

Dockless Bike-Sharing Program Rides Into The Rockaways

written by KerriARCbzbch

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — The city wants even more people to ride in the Rockaways. A new pilot program just launched, bringing dockless biking to the boardwalk. “If you get off the ferry, it’s going to be a good way to get around, if you want to go to a restaurant or something,” said Rockaways resident Ava Mollaghan. “I think a lot of people here already have their own bikes, if you look, it’s basically useless here,” said Rockaways resident Bill Boden. The companies Lime and Pace are supplying the bikes. Users can download their apps to find and rent a bike, then ride it — but only in the neighborhood. When you’re done, the city says lock up the bike at any existing bike rack or on the sidewalk out of the way of pedestrians. It’s different from the popular Citi Bikes , where you have to get them and return them at special docking stations. “Couldn’t be simpler and it’s only a dollar for a 30 minute ride” said Mayor de Blasio. Other cities have had problems with people leaving dockless bikes anywhere — something officials here will be watching closely. “It’s a fair question, and that’s why we’re trying to do a careful pilot. We’re not going to flood any neighborhood with too many bikes,” said New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg. The future of transportation in New York City may go beyond bicycles. Lime also has electric scooters. Earlier this week, the company and Uber announced a new scooter partnership. Both companies are now working to make scooters available in the Uber app. Lime CEO & Co-Founder Tony Sun and the DOT said there’s currently no plan to bring the scooters to the city. “I think for now we’re going to focus on bikes,” Trottenberg said. What may be an exciting prospect for some, sounds like a recipe for more traffic congestion for others. As part of the dockless pilot, bikes will also be coming to Northern Staten Island, the Fordham section of the Bronx, and later this year Coney Island. Companies will use GPS tracking to make sure the bikes are being kept in their designated zones.

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Dockless Bike-Sharing Program Rides Into The Rockaways

July 13, 2018 0 comment

sports

Giants DT Francis: Mom’s ashes spilled by TSA

written by annaleexrsj

Giants defensive lineman A.J. Francis wasn’t happy with the Transportation Security Administration, which he said went through his suitcase and left open an urn carrying his mother’s ashes.

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Giants DT Francis: Mom’s ashes spilled by TSA

July 10, 2018 0 comment

news Rap

Teaneck Father, 4 Daughters Killed By Wrong-Way Driver In Delaware

written by GracielCatalan

TOWNSEND, Del. (CBSNewYork/AP) — New Jersey man and his four daughters were killed Friday in a violent multi-vehicle crash on a Delaware highway, according to state police. The crash occurred around 3:45 p.m. on Route 1, the state’s major north-south artery, near Townsend. State Police M. Cpl. Melissa Jaffe said that a southbound pickup truck crossed the median and struck a northbound passenger car. She said the car came to rest on the median, while the pickup truck continued to travel southbound in the northbound lanes and hit a minivan carrying the New Jersey family of six. The two occupants of the pickup truck and the single occupant of the car were taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. A family spokesperson tells CBS Philly the father, 61-year-old man Audie Trinidad, and his daughters Kaitlyn, 20, Danna, 17, Melissa, 13, and Allison, also 13, were all pronounced dead at the scene. Trinidad’s wife and the girls’ mother, 53-year-old Mary Rose, was transported to an area hospital after suffering serious but non-life threatening injuries. credit: CBS Philly The family was headed home to Teaneck from a holiday getaway in Ocean City, Maryland when the trip turned tragic, CBS2’s Liza Rozner reported. “I feel so bad for this family,” Jaffe said. “I cannot imagine what they’re going through. The father’s brother and girls’ uncle flew to New Jersey from Miami. “Blink of an eye, lost everything. My brother is a fun-loving family man, he loves his nice family. That’s why they all go out during summer break, he takes his kids out wherever they want to go, and this is what happens,” Danny Trinidad said. He said the family lived in Teaneck for more than 20 years. The father was an usher at the Church of Anastasia, where the family regularly attended services. “Couple tears went down my face. I was actually at work this morning, and I just can’t believe it,” said neighbor Juan Gomez. “Ever since 2006 when I moved over here, we’ve always been friends, always together. So I’ve known them very well.” Gomez said he grew up with the oldest daughter Kaitlyn, who was entering her junior year studying nursing at the College of Mount St. Vincent in the Bronx. “Very loving, her dad was very nice, he would always really care about them,” he added. “They were an amazing family to me and they always were there for me and stuff. Like whenever I cam to their house, they would always provide food for me and stuff,” said friend Laysha Stengeo. “I’m very thankful for them.” “Nice, hardworking, friendly, people you’d want to have as your neighbors, decent people, church-going,” neighbor Leslie Peterson added. The Filipino American Society organized a vigil for the family Saturday night at Votee Park, and a GoFundMe page was set up for the mother. “They are very good kids,” their grandmother said. “It’s OK to look and ask questions where there are no answers,” Mayor Mohammed Hameeduddin told the crowd. “Hug your children, hug your friends, love each other.” “(Danna) was just an amazing young lady. National Honor Society, we just inducted her. She was a amazing young lady. She was a member of the volleyball team, the softball team, very active,” said Teaneck High School Dean of Students Olivia Betances. Delaware State Police said the father, who was driving, and the mother, in the front passenger seat, were wearing their seat belts, but the girls in the back were not. Photographs from the scene showed a blue tarp covering a white passenger vehicle with massive front-end-damage. The vehicle’s roof appeared to have been cut off by rescue workers and was lying upside down on the ground nearby. A few feet away was a maroon extended-cab pickup truck, which appeared to be a commercial vehicle, with its passenger side caved in. Dozens of emergency personnel responded to the scene as authorities worked to clear debris, The News Journal of Wilmington reported . Charles “C.R.” McLeod, a spokesman for the Delaware Department of Transportation, said Route 1 was closed in both directions for 17 miles for hours after the crash. The cause of the crash is under investigation. So far, no charges have been filed. (© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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Teaneck Father, 4 Daughters Killed By Wrong-Way Driver In Delaware

July 8, 2018 0 comment

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Teaneck Father, 4 Daughters Killed By Wrong-Way Driver In Delaware

written by PaulineCoyne

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Teaneck Father, 4 Daughters Killed By Wrong-Way Driver In Delaware

July 8, 2018 0 comment

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Teaneck Father, 4 Daughters Killed In Multi-Vehicle Delaware Crash

written by GingerT58dq

TOWNSEND, Del. (CBSNewYork/AP) — Five members of a New Jersey family, including four children, were killed Friday in a crash on a Delaware highway, according to state police. The crash occurred around 3:45 p.m. on Route 1, the state’s major north-south artery, near Townsend. State Police M. Cpl. Melissa Jaffe said that a southbound pickup truck crossed the median and struck a northbound passenger car. She said the car came to rest on the median, while the pickup truck continued to travel southbound in the northbound lanes and was hit by a minivan carrying the New Jersey family. The two occupants of the pickup truck and the single occupant of the car were taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The minivan had a family of six, which included four children and two adults, police say. CBS Philly reports the father, a 61-year-old man from Teaneck, and his four daughters ages 20, 17, and two 13-year-olds were pronounced dead at the scene. His wife, 53, was transported to an area hospital after suffering serious but non-life threatening injuries. “I feel so bad for this family,” Jaffe said. “I cannot imagine what they’re going through. Photographs from the scene showed a blue tarp covering a white passenger vehicle with massive front-end-damage. The vehicle’s roof appeared to have been cut off by rescue workers and was lying upside down on the ground nearby. A few feet away was a maroon extended-cab pickup truck, which appeared to be a commercial vehicle, with its passenger side caved in. Dozens of emergency personnel responded to the scene as authorities worked to clear debris, The News Journal of Wilmington reported . Charles “C.R.” McLeod, a spokesman for the Delaware Department of Transportation, said Route 1 was closed in both directions for 17 miles for hours after the crash. The names of those killed in the crash were not immediately released because next of kin had not been notified. The Delaware State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit is investigating. (© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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Teaneck Father, 4 Daughters Killed In Multi-Vehicle Delaware Crash

July 7, 2018 0 comment