Delaware State Police have issued a statement on the fatal car accident that led to the passing of ROH Hall of Famer Jay Briscoe on Tuesday evening.
As noted, Briscoe passed away at the age of 38 on Tuesday evening after being involved in a car accident in Laurel, Delaware, near his home, at around 5pm ET. The original reports from the scene noted that there were as many as four victims trapped in their vehicles, and that there was a fire. The initial reports also noted that there was “1 critical pediatric” patient, and a “2nd serious patient,” with two others being evaluated at that time. It was also stated by the Delaware State Police that two people died in the fatal car accident, and PWInsider noted that word from the scene was that the driver of the other vehicle passed away. Jay’s wife, Ashley Pugh, took to Facebook overnight and said their daughter Gracie was headed into surgery at around 4am ET, while daughter Jayleigh was dealing with serious injuries, but was resting and in stable condition. Their son Gannon was not in the truck at the time of the accident. You can click here for the original report on details from the scene, along with the initial announcement on Briscoe’s passing from AEW President Tony Khan, and you can click here for the follow-up report with the comments from Briscoe’s wife, and comments from the Laurel School District.
In an update, the DSP noted today that they are still investigating the fatal accident. They confirmed the passing of Briscoe at age 38, and confirmed that the driver of the other vehicle, 27-year-old Lillyanne Ternahan, also passed away.
Police noted that Ternahan was driving a 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, going westbound, while Briscoe was traveling eastbound in a 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500. For unknown reasons, Ternahan failed to remain in her lane, crossed the center line, and entered the lane Briscoe was traveling in, with his two daughters in the truck. This caused a head-on collision in the eastbound lane. Ternahan was wearing her seat-belt, but Briscoe was not. Both drivers were pronounced dead at the scene.
Police also confirmed that Briscoe’s daughters, ages 9 and 12, were properly restrained in their seats. The press release said both girls were taken to a local hospital, and were admitted in critical condition.
Police added that alcohol involvement in the accident is unknown, and that no other vehicles were involved. The full press release reads like this:
State Police Investigating Two-Vehicle Fatal Accident
The Delaware State Police are investigating a fatal accident that occurred in Laurel late yesterday afternoon that resulted in the deaths of two people.
On January 17, 2023, at approximately 5:09 p.m., a 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 was traveling westbound on Laurel Road just west of Goose Nest Road. At the same time, a 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 was traveling eastbound on Laurel Road in the same vicinity. For unknown reasons, the driver of the Silverado 1500 pickup truck failed to remain in her lane, crossed the center line, and entered the eastbound lane of Laurel Road, directly into the path of the Silverado 2500. This resulted in a head-on collision between the two pickup trucks in the eastbound lane.
The driver of the Silverado 1500, identified as 27-year-old Lillyanne Ternahan of Frankford, Delaware, was wearing her seatbelt. The driver of the Silverado 2500, identified as 38-year-old Jamin Pugh of Laurel, Delaware, was not wearing his seatbelt. Both drivers were pronounced dead at the scene. The two passengers in Pugh’s pickup truck, identified as his 12-year-old daughter and 9-year-old daughter, were both properly restrained. Both girls were taken by ambulance to an area hospital and were admitted in critical condition.
Alcohol involvement in this crash is unknown. No other vehicles were involved in this collision. The roadway was closed for approximately four hours while the scene was investigated and cleared.
The Delaware State Police Troop 7 Collision Reconstruction Unit continues to investigate this incident. Troopers are asking anyone who witnessed this collision to please contact Sergeant J. Burns by calling 302-703-3269. Information may also be provided by sending a Private Facebook Message to the Delaware State Police or contacting Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-847-3333.
If you or someone you know is a victim or witness of a crime or have lost a loved one to a sudden death and need assistance, the Delaware State Police Victim Services Unit / Delaware Victim Center is available to offer you support and resources 24 hours a day through a toll-free hotline at 1-800-VICTIM-1 (1-800-842-8461). You may also email the Victim Services Unit at DSP_VictimServicesMail@delaware.gov.
The Briscoes were billed from Sandy Fork, Delaware, which is where their family farm is located at. Sandy Fork is just five minutes from Laurel.
Briscoe, who captured the ROH World Tag Team Titles with brother Mark Briscoe for the thirteenth time in December, was to turn 39 on January 25.
Stay tuned to WrestlingHeadlines.com for more.
Follow Marc on Twitter at @this_is_marc. Send any news, tips or corrections to us by clicking here.