Delaware State Police

Superintendent Colonel William D. Crotty

State Police Arrest Man for DUI and Drug Offenses Following Pursuit

Date Posted: Monday, October 27th, 2025

Image of Datahj Smith

Delaware State Police arrested 34-year-old Datahj Smith, of Dover, Delaware, for DUI and drug offenses following a pursuit in Claymont on Thursday morning.

On October 23, 2025, at approximately 9:30 a.m., a trooper patrolling on I-95 near Harvey Road in Claymont saw a Volkswagen Jetta commit multiple traffic violations. The trooper stopped the Jetta and contacted the driver, later identified as Datahj Smith, who also showed signs of impairment. Smith provided a false name to the trooper. When the trooper asked Smith to exit the vehicle, he fled northbound on I-95.

Troopers pursued Smith as he exited I-95, before turning onto Naamans Road. During the pursuit, the Jetta drove at a high rate of speed and in a reckless manner on several roads and streets near Naamans Road. Troopers successfully stopped the Jetta on Naamans Road, near Concord Pike, and took Smith into custody without further incident. A subsequent search of the Jetta led to the discovery of approximately 53.5 grams of suspected phencyclidine (PCP) and approximately .27 grams of suspected heroin.

Smith was taken to Troop 1 where he was administered Standardized Field Sobriety Tests, charged with the crimes listed below, arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 2, and committed to the Howard R. Young Correctional Institution on a $28,114 cash bond.