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Delaware State Police

Superintendent Colonel William Crotty


Detectives Seek Public’s Assistance with Road Rage Assault Investigation in Middletown


Date Posted: Friday, April 5th, 2024

News Release

The Delaware State Police are investigating and seeking witnesses for an assault stemming from a road rage incident that occurred Sunday morning on Route 13 in Middletown.

On March 31, 2024, at approximately 9:31 a.m., troopers responded to an area hospital and made contact with an injured 19-year-old victim from a road rage incident that occurred on Route 13 northbound at Port Penn Road. The preliminary investigation revealed the victim was traveling in an orange Kia Forte on Route 13 in the area of Boyds Corner Road in Middletown, when she was involved in a road rage incident with a silver Jeep Cherokee. After both vehicles came to a stop on Route 13’s left turn lane for Route 1 northbound at Port Penn Road, an unknown male suspect exited the Jeep and approached the victim’s vehicle. The victim’s friend, who was stopped in a blue Nissan Rogue also in the left turn lane a few cars ahead, exited her vehicle as she saw the suspect approaching. The victim exited her vehicle, and a physical altercation ensued between the victim, the victim’s friend, and the suspect. The altercation ended after the victim pushed the suspect while he choked her, which led to the suspect falling into the guardrail. The victim then fled in her vehicle, at which point she noticed she was bleeding, but does not recall how or when she sustained the cut to her upper arm.

The suspect is described as an older white male, approximately 5’9″, with a slender build and a long gray beard that reached the top of his chest. The suspect is possibly armed with a black, flip-open style pocketknife. The suspect was wearing a red/white trucker style hat, a red/black long sleeve flannel shirt over a white t-shirt, blue jeans, and black cowboy boots. The suspect’s vehicle (stock image pictured below) is a silver Jeep Cherokee with a hard white registration plate.

Stock photo
Stock Photo of a silver Jeep Cherokee with a similar year/body as the suspect vehicle

Delaware State Police Troop 2 Criminal Investigations Detectives are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying the suspect and the suspect vehicle as they continue to investigate this incident. Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to contact Detective J. Gliem by calling (302) 365-8428. 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.

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