Two injured in fiery crash on I-95

A driver was seriously hurt Tuesday in a fiery crash caused as he tried to pass slower vehicles using I-95's shoulder near Newport, state police said.

Matthew C. Brown, 26, of Newark, was southbound about 5:40 p.m. "at an apparent high rate of speed" just north of Del. 141 when he tried to pass slower traffic by driving on the left shoulder, Master Cpl. Jeffrey R. Hale said.

Instead, Hale said, he rammed the back of a disabled van on the shoulder. His car caught fire and was engulfed in flames.

Rescuers were able to remove Brown – not properly restrained – safely from the wreckage, Hale said.

He was taken to Christiana Hospital for treatment of serious injuries, he said.

The van driver, Robin L. Hart, 31, of Wilmington, was taken to the same hospital withminor injuries, Hale said.

Traffic on southbound I-95 was affected for several hours as state police investigated the crash site and wreckage was cleared.

The crash remains under investigation, Hale said, and "charges are expected."

Contact robin brown at (302) 324-2856 or rbrown@delawareonline.com. Find her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter @rbrowndelaware.