Name released of student killed in crash near University of Delaware

NEWARK, Del. (WPVI) -- Authorities have released the name of the University of Delaware graduate student who was struck and killed earlier this week.

Newark police said Thursday she is 24-year-old Marina Vasconcelos of North East, Maryland.

The driver of the U-Haul van that struck her, 22-year-old Gordon Turner of New Castle, is being charged with second-degree murder.

Another 24-year-old graduate student was also struck, police say. That student was last reported to be hospitalized in stable condition.

The crash happened Tuesday at Main and Haines streets in Newark.

Before the deadly crash, Newark police say the U-Haul was discovered on the 200 block of East Main Street. The van was supposed to be returned to a rental facility on March 18.

At 4:34 p.m., police say Turner and a passenger returned to the vehicle. As officers moved in, Turner allegedly drove over a curb and hit a police vehicle, then sped away onto East Main Street.

The Newark Police Department said officers did not pursue the van, and all officers remained in the shopping center.

Turner allegedly continued speeding down East Main Street when police say he lost control and hit the two graduate students.

Videos obtained by Action News show the van speeding down the street.

The van then hit several parked cars, including one vehicle with four people inside and another vehicle with one person inside.

The crashes caused a chain reaction in which a third pedestrian was injured after being hit by a vehicle that had been pushed by the impact of the crash.

"This is a terrible tragedy for everyone in our UD community. We speak for the entire University in offering our condolences to the families, friends and classmates of the victims, and keep the other members of our community in our thoughts who may have witnessed the crash and its aftermath," the university said in a statement.

After he was arrested, Newark police say they learned Turner is a fugitive wanted by police agencies in the states of Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Maryland.

Police also say a handgun was found inside the U-Haul van. Additional charges may be forthcoming as the investigation continues, police said.

According to the affidavit, designer marijuana was found at the scene.

Turner is being held behind bars on $305,500 cash bond.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Cpl. Jon Lee at (302) 366-7100 ext. 3462 or jlee@newark.de.us. Anonymous tips may be submitted through the Newark Police Department's tips page, where reward information may also be available.

Newark police are also asking for the public to send them any video of the incident. Video files can be uploaded through this page on the police department's website.