Oliver Barnes

DOVER — A DUI charge was filed after a 10-year-old girl was critically injured in a Thursday night crash at the intersection of Bay Road and Blue Hen Boulevard, Dover Police said.

Oliver Barnes, 39, of Ellendale, was allegedly intoxicated when his vehicle rear-ended a car at approximately 7:29 p.m., Dover Police said. According to authorities, a 35-year-old female driving a blue Toyota Camry was stopped behind a blue Ford F-150 truck at a red light. The female driver’s 10-year-old daughter was also in the vehicle, police said.

While stopped, police said, a red Pontiac Grand Prix driven by Mr. Barnes was approaching the stopped vehicle at a high rate of speed. Mr. Barnes struck the rear of the vehicle, pushing it around the Ford F-150 that was stopped in front of it, and into the southbound turn lane, police said. Mr. Barnes’ vehicle then struck the rear of the Ford F-150 (no injuries).

Police said the child suffered serious head trauma and was flown to A.I. DuPont Children’s Hospital following emergency surgery at Bayhealth-Kent General Hospital in Dover and is in critical condition. The mother was treated at Bayhealth-KGH for a head injury and was later released.

Mr. Barnes was admitted to Bayhealth-KGH with a spinal injury.

Other charges included first- and second-degree vehicular assault, driving while license suspended and reckless driving. Mr. Barnes was arraigned at the hospital and committed to the Delaware Department of Correction on $5,150 cash bond.