Off-duty Dover officer sparked fatal, five-car crash in Dover

An off-duty Dover police officer was at the head of a fatal, five-car, chain-reaction crash last week, according to Dover and state police.

Frederick Pierce, a three-year veteran of the Dover Police Department, didn't notice traffic slowing to a stop in front of him Friday evening on southbound South DuPont Highway near Walnut Shade Road, state police said. He was driving his personal vehicle, a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado, according to a Dover police spokesman.

Pierce, 29, struck the Ford Flex in front of him, which was slowing to a stop, state police said. It was driven by 44-year-old Catina Isaacs, who state police said died in the crash.

Isaacs' car was forced into the back of a UPS truck, which then hit a 2008 Chevrolet Silverado, which then hit a Buick Envision, according to state police.

The 2008 Silverado was driven by a 39-year-old man from Federalsburg, Maryland, and the Envision was driven by a 76-year-old man from Milford. Both drivers kept control of their vehicles. 

The UPS truck, driven by a 37-year-old from Dover, was forced into a ditch. 

Isaacs' vehicle and Pierce's pickup veered into the left lane because of the collision, state police said. Neither driver was wearing a seat belt, state police said. 

A State Police press release issued June 14, the day of the crash, named Isaacs, but no one else involved. At the request of media Thursday, State Police issued a new release naming all the drivers involved, but it did not reveal that Pierce, of Magnolia, is a police officer.

Dover police confirmed that fact when reporters asked. 

Rear-end collision on US 13 causes chain reaction crash, kills 1, police say

Issacs died at the scene, state police said. Pierce and the UPS truck driver went to Bayhealth Kent General Hospital with non-life threatening injuries, state police said. 

State police said they don't believe any of the drivers involved were intoxicated. 

A Dover police spokesman said Pierce was placed on administrative leave this week. What actions are taken next will depend heavily on the outcome of the state police investigation into the crash, according to the police spokesman.

No charges have been filed in the crash, state police said. State police will work with the Delaware Office of the Attorney General to decide whether charges should be filed.

Contact Adam Duvernay at (302) 319-1855 or aduvernay@delawareonline.com

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