A motorcyclist has been arrested and charged in a crash that killed an 18-year-old freshman student who had just finished her first day of classes at the University of Delaware.
On Thursday, Aug. 29, Brian Briddle, 27, was taken into custody at his home in Newark, Delaware. He is charged with murder in the second degree, possession of a deadly weapon during the commission of a felony, disregarding a police officer's signal, driving a special vehicle without a special license, operation of an unregistered motor vehicle and failure to stop at a red light.
Investigators said Briddle was riding a motorcycle late Tuesday, Aug. 27, around 11:50 p.m. near the University of Delaware's campus in Newark.
A University of Delaware police officer tried to stop Briddle for committing traffic offenses on East Main and South Chapel streets, according to investigators.
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Briddle allegedly ignored the officer’s emergency lights and sped westbound on East Main Street. The officer didn’t engage in the pursuit and turned off his emergency lights, officials said.
As Briddle continued speeding, he struck Noelia Gomez, an 18-year-old freshman University of Delaware student who was walking in a crosswalk on West Main Street, just west of North College Avenue, police said. Briddle also struck four other pedestrians on the sidewalk and a light pole, according to investigators.
Bystanders tried to save Gomez but were unsuccessful. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
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Gomez was a native of Clark, New Jersey. University of Delaware President Dennis Assanis revealed that many of her friends and classmates witnessed the crash.
“We cannot express enough how sorry we are for the family, friends, and greater community as we are all so deeply shaken by the sudden loss of one of our own,” Assanis wrote. “Our hearts are very heavy today.”
Assanis’ message also included resources for students to help them through the tragedy.
Classes for the new semester had just started at the school on Tuesday, hours before the deadly crash.
"It's sickening because it's just a freshman," University of Delaware student Jason Blottner said. "I know that she came here to start pursuing her dreams, whatever her career is, and it just got taken from her."
Three of the pedestrians who were struck by the motorcycle suffered minor injuries and refused to be taken to the hospital, police said. A fourth pedestrian suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to the hospital for treatment.
Briddle, who fell off his motorcycle during the crash, was also taken to the hospital and treated for non-life-threatening injuries, police said.
After his arrest, Briddle had a video court appearance and was ordered to be held in default of $362,005 cash bail. He was placed in custody at the Howard R. Young Correctional Institution in Wilmington.
While Briddle has been charged, Newark Police continue to investigate the deadly crash.
If you have any information on the crash, please call the Newark Police Department at 302-366-7100 extension 3414 or email waston@newark.de.us.
