Father Mourns Wife and Twin Daughters Who Were Killed in Crash on I-495 in Del.

A Philadelphia man is mourning his wife and twin daughters after they were killed when a driver traveled the wrong way on I-495 in Delaware and crashed into their vehicle. 

“I don’t know what I’m going to do,” David Dorsey told NBC10. “They were my best friends. They were my motivation and my purpose and I’ll just have to find a way.” 

David’s wife, Renee Dorsey, 41, and their 14-year-old twin daughters, Parker and June, were visiting Rehoboth Beach in Delaware on Wednesday. The trip was a tradition for the three who always visited the area on the anniversary of the death of Renee’s mother. 

“They normally would spend a night at the hotel,” David said. “But Parker and June didn’t want to miss school on a Thursday so they decided to make the trip home. And that’s when the accident happened.”

On Thursday, Nov. 30, around 11:30 p.m., Renee was driving her 2020 Toyota Tacoma in the northbound lanes of I-495 in Delaware. Parker and June were inside the vehicle as well. 

At the same time, a 48-year-old man from Elkton, Maryland, was driving a 2004 Ford F-150 southbound in the left northbound lane of I-495 in the area of Route 13, police said. 

The man continued driving the wrong way and drove directly into the path of Renee’s vehicle, causing a head-on collision, according to investigators. 

Renee, her twin daughters and the 48-year-old man were all killed in the crash which closed I-495 northbound for five hours between I-95 and Route 13. 

Police have not yet revealed the 48-year-old man’s identity or why he was driving the wrong way. As they continue to investigate, David Dorsey is trying to cope with the loss of his family.

“Going forward I don’t know what life looks like,” he said. “My whole life was being a father and a husband.”

David met Renee at Drexel University where they fell in love. He describes his wife as a “super mom” and “social butterfly.” 

“Everyone that she met loved her instantly and she made fast friends with everyone,” he said. 

David told NBC10 his twin daughters were very different despite their identical appearance. Parker was artistic and musical while June was athletic and loved ice hockey. They were still very close however. 

“Their relationship was one that even I didn’t fathom,” David said. “They had their own language.”

June attended Central High School while Parker attended the Academy at Palumbo. They both wanted to study engineering like their parents.

As David continues to deal with the pain, he’s finding comfort in the memories of his family as well as support from loved ones. 

“It just makes me happy to know that my daughters touched so many lives and I know Renee touched so many people,” he said. 

Monday night, the Philadelphia Flyers honored Renee, Parker and June before their game against the Colorado Avalanche.

A viewing for Renee, Parker and June will be held Tuesday, December 6, from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Strano & Feeley Family Funeral Home on 635 Churchmans Road in Newark, Delaware. A second viewing will be held on Wednesday, December 7, 2022, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at St. Hedwig Church on 408 South Harrison Street in Wilmington, Delaware. The second viewing will be followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11 a.m. The burial will be private. 

You can find directions to the viewing or send condolences online here. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Hedwig Church. 

Delaware State Police continue to investigate the crash. Anyone who witnessed the incident should call Master Corporal Breen at 302-365-8486. You can also submit information to the Delaware Crime Stoppers by visiting the website or calling 1-800-TIP-3333. 

If you or someone you know is a victim or witnessed a crime or lost a loved one to a sudden death and need help, you can call the Delaware State Police Victim Services Unit/Delaware Victim Center at 1-800-842-8461 for support and resources 24 hours a day. 

You can also email the Victim Services Unit at DSP_VictimServicesMail@delaware.gov.