Delaware State Police

Superintendent Colonel Melissa Zebley

State Police Arrest Seaford Man for 6th Offense DUI Following Crash Investigation

Date Posted: Thursday, October 5th, 2023

Delaware State Police arrested 64-year-old Graylon Nichols, of Seaford, for 6^th offense DUI and traffic-related charges yesterday afternoon.

On October 4, 2023, at approximately 2:48 p.m., troopers responded to the intersection of Sussex Highway and Chipmans Lane in Laurel, Delaware, for a reported hit-and-run crash. Upon arrival, troopers discovered that a black male, later identified as Graylon Nichols, had fled the scene in a Chevrolet Silverado with an undisclosed Delaware registration.

The crash investigation revealed that Nichols failed to maintain his lane while driving southbound on Sussex Highway, causing him to strike two road signs after exiting the east edge of the roadway near Chipmans Road. His vehicle then crashed into a Jeep Comanche in the median, which was preparing to cross northbound traffic on Sussex Highway. The driver of the Jeep Comanche, a 65-year-old woman from Laurel, Delaware, sustained minor injuries as a result of the crash.

While the crash was being investigated, a trooper patrolling the area of County Seat Highway and Concord Road observed the suspect vehicle and initiated a traffic stop on Concord Road. Upon contacting the driver, the trooper smelled a strong odor of alcoholic beverages coming from within the vehicle and noticed that the driver was not wearing his seatbelt. The driver identified himself as Graylon Nichols and produced an identification card to confirm his name. The trooper also noticed signs of impairment while speaking with Nichols and attempted Standardized Field Sobriety Testing, but he refused. Nichols was taken into custody and transported to Troop 5. It was discovered through a computer check that Nichols had previously been convicted of DUI five times. Nichols was charged with the following crimes: