Former state Rep. Ben Ewing was killed in a traffic accident west of Bridgeville late Tuesday afternoon. He was 84.
Delaware State Police say Ewing was standing on a road west of Bridgeville for an unknown reason when he was struck by a car driven by 60-year-old Janet Bradley.
He died at the scene according to Sussex County Paramedics.
DSP says alcohol and speed were not contributing factors in the case.
Ewing was a former Deputy Superintendent of Delaware State Police and served in the House from 1988 until retiring in 2008.
State Sen. Brian Pettyjohn (R-Georgetown) announced the news to audible gasps, calling for a moment of silence in the senate chambers.
In a statement, Gov. Jack Markell said, "It’s hard to think about Bridgeville without thinking about the impact Ben Ewing had on that community for decades."
"[He] was always very good to me," said House Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf (D-Rehoboth Beach), himself a former state police captain. "He was just a nice man."
State police continue to investigate the accident.