A quiet rural stretch of New Garden Township turned into a scene of heart-ache early Friday morning, when a vehicle fleeing law enforcement lost control and slammed into a tree, killing all three people inside.
According to the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP), troopers from the Avondale Station attempted to stop the car just after 1:30 a.m. in the vicinity of East 3rd Street and Garner Drive after witnessing multiple traffic violations. Instead of pulling over, the driver refused, initiating a chase that ended a short time later on Route 41.
Inside the wrecked vehicle were three men from Wilmington, Delaware: 35-year-old Devon Hargraves, 33-year-old Gershad Andre, and 36-year-old Larry Wilmer. All three were pronounced dead at the scene.
Eyewitness Carl Coleman recounted how the chase hurtled past his neighborhood, jolting him from bed. “I was on my porch and saw the police chasing this car at a high rate of speed … I was completely in shock and immediately began recording,” he said. The car reportedly “bottomed out,” screeched around a bend and slammed into a tree with such force that bark was stripped from the trunk.
Residents in the typically tranquil Avondale area say the crash has shaken them. Annie Taylor, a nearby resident, said, “That’s terrible. It’s horrible. Something that could’ve been prevented.” The sudden violence of the chase felt out of place in a community that rarely sees such incidents.
No troopers were injured during the pursuit, PSP confirmed. Investigators say the chase originated from traffic-violation stops, though the exact sequence of events leading to the crash remains under investigation.
In the aftermath, the families of the victims are grappling with loss and questions. One cousin of Larry Wilmer expressed sorrow and concern: “My family has a lot of questions about what happened that night and want to know why police continued to chase the three men for traffic violations.”
As the investigation by PSP’s Troop J Major Case Team continues, one message from the neighborhood resonates: when law enforcement signals you to stop — pull over. The night’s events serve as a sobering reminder of how swiftly a routine traffic stop can spiral into tragedy.
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