Delaware State Police

Superintendent Colonel William Crotty

Absconder Arrested Following Serious Crash in Delmar

Date Posted: Wednesday, September 25th, 2024

Delaware State Police have arrested 33-year-old Clifford David of Greenwood, Delaware for multiple felony offenses following a serious crash in Delmar.

On September 24, 2024, at approximately 9:49 p.m., troopers responded to a residence on the 16000 block of Whitesville Road in Delmar for a report of a fugitive, identified as Clifford David, who absconded from the Sussex Community Corrections work crew earlier in the day. Before troopers arrived, they were notified that David fled from the residence with a 25-year-old woman and three children, ages 1, 2, and 7, in a Chevrolet Silverado, later determined to have been stolen from the Harrington area. While fleeing, David stopped to remove the children from the truck, but the woman pulled two of the three children back in. Before they drove away again, a witness took custody of the 7-year-old child, who was not injured. David subsequently crashed the Silverado on August Road near Whitesville Road.

The preliminary crash investigation revealed that David was driving southbound on August Road recklessly and at a high rate of speed. As a result, David failed to negotiate a curve, causing the truck to leave the road, enter a ditch, and overturn. The unrestrained woman and two unrestrained children were ejected. All three were taken to area hospitals with serious injuries. David fled the scene after the crash. Troopers searched the area but could not locate him and obtained warrants for his arrest.

On September 25, 2024, at approximately 7:00 a.m., troopers located David on Sussex Highway near Salt Barn Road in Laurel. He was taken into custody without incident.

David was charged with the crimes listed below, arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 3, and committed to Sussex Correctional Institution on a $21,000 secured bond.