New Jersey man arrested after hitting, killing two teen pedestrians in Delaware, state police say

A man from New Jersey was arrested and charged after he allegedly hit and killed two teen pedestrians in Townsend, Delaware over the weekend.

Delaware State Police say Nizaiah Ellis, from Newfield, Gloucester County was traveling southbound on Dupont Parkway around 1:10 a.m. Saturday morning when two teens were walking an electric bike in or near the left lane of southbound Dupont Parkway near Denny Lynn Drive. According to state police, that is when Ellis struck both pedestrians. Investigators say he stopped following the collision, but then continued traveling southbound, leaving the scene.

Police later located Ellis traveling southbound on Dupont Parkway near Paddock Road in Smyrna and conducted a traffic stop. Troopers observed damage to his Nissan Altima consistent with the collision, and he was taken into custody.

The pedestrians, a 17-year-old male and a 17-year-old female from Townsend, Delaware, were pronounced dead at the scene. Their names are being withheld until their families have been notified.

Ellis was charged with Leaving the Scene of a Collision Resulting in Death and Failure to Report a Collision Resulting in Death and was committed to the Delaware Department of Correction on a $12,050 secured bond.

The Delaware State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit continues to investigate this crash. Troopers ask anyone who witnessed the crash or has video to contact Corporal K. Oakes at (302) 365-8483.