Shane died at the scene; and Evan, 18, was taken to Beebe Medical Center in Lewes, police said. Released from the hospital, Evan is recuperating.

“It was a freakish accident,” said father Ernest Zinser.

“I guess the wind and water caused his car to swerve toward the opposite lane. Evan said Shane swerved to miss a telephone pole. It’s an accident that you would think is relatively minor, but the rails flipped up through the windshield, grill and hood.”

At roughly 7:30 p.m., the brothers left Delaware Technical & Community College (Del Tech) where they were both students, heading east on Route 9, making their way back to their Rehoboth Beach home.

An initial police report says Shane was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash and that Evan was wearing one.

It is unknown if alcohol or speed played a role in the accident, police said. The investigation is ongoing.

Shane’s brother, Sonny, 25, and sister, Summer, 14, remembered their brother as a good-hearted, creative musician and artist.

Shane was a nursing student at Del Tech and was planning to attend Beebe Nursing School, said Ernest.

“He was real interested in health issues. He watched the Discovery Channel and discussed health issues with me,” Ernest said.

As a Cape Henlopen High School sophomore, Shane’s lung collapsed for no obvious reason, said his father. After that, Ernest home-schooled Shane and Evan for the boys’ last two years of high school.

Ernest said he had lively discussions about medicine with his son, and Ernest routinely read medical encyclopedias so he’d have more to add to discussions with Shane.

Sonny said Shane was on top of everything technological and knew the latest about emerging electronics.

A few years ago, Sonny and Shane collaborated to make a techno-music CD.

Sonny said Shane was an avid moviegoer, too; one of his favorite movies was “Scarface.” “He had a ‘Scarface’ jacket,” Ernest said. Shane also played the theme from “The Godfather” on his keyboard, said Summer.

At home, Shane entertained his family with character imitations, especially Borat and other funny, quirky movie characters, Ernest said.

Shane also liked to draw cartoons and caricatures, said Summer. Ernest said once his son got started drawing, nothing could stop him.

“He would often draw faces that turned into other images and faces within the same drawing,” said Ernest. “He was very unique. He was proud of the pictures he would make.”

Summer recalled Shane’s knack for cooking and inventing new recipes and improving others. She said Shane added green peppers to salmon cakes, along with other herbs to make them spicy. Ernest said Shane then served the cakes to his Bible study group.

“He was always goofy and silly. He was a big dreamer. He never let reality destroy his dreams or ambitions,” said Sonny.

Shane is also survived by his mother, Mary, and his brother, Braedon, 21.

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