In a gripping legal battle that has unfolded in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, a plaintiff has taken on multiple government entities and businesses over a tragic incident that resulted in the death of his father. On December 16, 2024, Stephen Scott Cortellessa filed a complaint in the Court of Common Pleas of Delaware County against Ridley Township and several other defendants, seeking justice for the untimely demise of Thomas J. Cortellessa Jr.
The case revolves around the alleged negligence surrounding the Ridley Township Municipal Marina. According to the complaint, on December 23, 2022, Thomas J. Cortellessa Jr., aged 76, tragically drowned after his vehicle inadvertently entered Darby Creek from an unmarked and unbarricaded boat ramp at the marina. The lawsuit claims that despite prior incidents where vehicles had similarly plunged into Darby Creek—resulting in fatalities—the defendants failed to implement necessary safety measures to prevent such tragedies. Stephen Scott Cortellessa accuses Ridley Township and other involved parties of negligence, citing their "outrageous" disregard for public safety by not installing barriers or adequate signage to warn drivers of potential dangers.
The plaintiff asserts that this lack of action by the defendants directly led to his father's death. He points out that there were no signs or barricades warning about flooding conditions on the day of the incident when heavy rains caused Darby Creek to overflow into the parking lot, obscuring visibility between land and water. Furthermore, he highlights previous similar incidents as evidence that the defendants were aware of these dangers yet chose not to act.
Stephen Scott Cortellessa is pursuing damages under both survival action and wrongful death claims. He seeks compensation exceeding $50,000 for each claim from all named defendants collectively. This includes punitive damages for what he describes as deliberate indifference by those responsible for maintaining safety at the marina and surrounding areas.
Representing Stephen Scott Cortellessa are attorneys Franklin R. Strokoff and Max I. Goldberg from Groen Strokoff O’Neill LLC. The case is presided over by judges at the Court of Common Pleas in Delaware County under Case ID c10dadfc6e5c1601252d0673e1d42f5465d4d12c.