The Delaware State Police have arrested 51-year-old Dongjun Zou and 47-year-old Wulian Fan, both of New York, for felony theft following a courier scam investigation in Seaford.

On the morning of March 25, 2026, troopers were contacted by an 84-year-old male who believed he had fallen victim to a scam. It was learned that in the days prior, the victim encountered a pop-up that locked him out of his computer and instructed him to call a number for assistance.  Upon contacting the phone number, the victim was coerced into withdrawing a large amount of money and told to provide it to a courier who showed up at his residence the following morning.

While troopers were speaking with the victim, the scammers contacted him to arrange the pickup of another large sum of money. Detectives from the Sussex County Financial Crimes Unit, along with the Special Investigations Unit, became involved in the investigation. Through investigative means, detectives identified Zou and Fan as suspects.

Detectives conducted a traffic stop on Zou’s Nissan SUV, and both suspects were taken into custody and taken to Troop 4.

Zou was charged with the offenses listed below, arraigned by the Justice of the Peace Court 3, and released on an $18,000 unsecured bond.

• Person knowingly acquires, maintains an interest in, conceals, possesses, transfers, or transports the proceeds of criminal activity (Felony)
• Theft $1500 or Greater and Victim is 62 Years of Age or Older (Felony)
• Attempt to Commit Theft $1500 or Greater and Victim is 62 Years of Age or Older (Felony)
• Conspiracy Second Degree (Felony)

Fan was charged with the offenses listed below, arraigned by the Justice of the Peace Court 3, and released on a $5,000 unsecured bond.

• Attempt to Commit Theft $1500 or Greater and Victim is 62 Years of Age or Older (Felony)
• Conspiracy Second Degree (Felony)

Scam Advisory

Troopers advise the public to stay alert to scams. If you are contacted in an unusual manner, pressured to act quickly, threatened with arrest, or if something seems suspicious—pause, disengage, and check with a trusted source. Legitimate businesses and government agencies will never ask for payment methods such as gift cards, cryptocurrency, large cash amounts, or gold bars, whether via text message, mail to an unknown address, or a courier at your home.

To learn about some of the most common frauds and scams seen across the country, visit FBI.gov. If you or someone you know has been a victim of a scam or fraud scheme, report it to ic3.gov, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.

The Delaware State Police Sex Offender Apprehension and Registration Unit (SOAR) is issuing the following public notifications of homeless and wanted sex offenders.

Wanted Sex Offenders

SOAR is currently looking for the following wanted sex offenders after they either failed to register or re-register at their current address.  If anyone knows the location of these individuals, please call (302) 739-5882.  Information may also be provided by contacting Delaware Crime Stoppers at (800) 847-3333.  The individuals shown represent only a portion of the current wanted sex offenders. Please see the Delaware Sex Offender Registry website for the complete list.

(Hyperlink unavailable for Jose Vasquez-Chavez, contact SOAR for more information)

Homeless Sex Offender

The following individuals are not wanted for failing to register or re-register at their current address.  This is a homeless sex offender public notification.  If you have information that the listed individuals are occupying a residence, please call (302) 739-5882. Information may also be provided by contacting Delaware Crime Stoppers at (800) 847-3333.  The individual shown recently reported homeless and represents only a portion of the current homeless sex offenders. Please see the Delaware Sex Offender Registry website for the complete list.

The Delaware State Police arrested 31-year-old Paige Patterson, from Bear, Delaware, and a 52-year-old Newark man in connection with a recovered stolen vehicle and pursuit Wednesday night in New Castle.

On March 25, 2026, at approximately 8:00 p.m., a trooper patrolling Memorial Drive near North Dupont Parkway saw a stolen Mitsubishi Outlander. The trooper stopped the vehicle, but the driver fled shortly after pulling over. Troopers pursued the stolen Mitsubishi as it turned onto Irwin Avenue, where it ultimately stopped at a dead end. Both the driver and passenger exited the vehicle and ran away.

After a brief foot pursuit, troopers apprehended the driver, identified as Paige Patterson. Patterson showed signs of impairment, and troopers later discovered her driver’s license was suspended.

The 52-year-old passenger jumped over a backyard fence. The Delaware State Police Aviation Section responded and assisted in locating him. He was found along a nearby wooded area and taken into custody without further incident.

Both were taken to Troop 2. Patterson continued to show signs of impairment and troopers obtained a search warrant for her blood.

Patterson was charged with the below listed crimes, arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 11, and committed to the Deloris J. Baylor Women’s Correctional Institution on a $5,600 secured bond.

• Receiving Stolen Property (Felony)
• Disregarding a Police Officer Signal (Felony)
• Resisting Arrest
• Driving While Suspended or Revoked
• Driving Under the Influence of Drugs

The 52-year-old was charged with resisting arrest, arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 11, and issued a $1000 unsecured bond. He was committed to the Howard R. Young Correctional Institution on unrelated capiases.

The Delaware State Police arrested 61-year-old Curtis Reed, of Wilmington, Delaware, in connection with two firearm-related road rage incidents that occurred on Route 1.

On February 6, 2026, at approximately 3:00 p.m., troopers responded to Route 1 near Wrangle Hill Road, in New Castle, for a report of a road rage incident. The preliminary investigation revealed two victims were traveling northbound on Route 1 near a gray SUV that was described as driving erratically. After a brief verbal exchange, the unknown male suspect operating the SUV pointed a handgun at the victims before driving away. Troopers were provided with a description of the SUV and its driver.

On March 10, 2026, at approximately 5:40 a.m., troopers responded to southbound Route 1 near Exit 119 for a shooting investigation. The preliminary investigation revealed that while traveling southbound on Route 1, an unknown male suspect in a light gray crossover-style SUV shot a firearm, striking the victim’s black BMW twice. The BMW’s driver, a 46-year-old Delaware man, and a passenger were not injured. The suspect vehicle continued southbound after the incident.

The Delaware State Police Criminal Investigations Unit took over the cases. Detectives identified the suspect vehicle as a gray Nissan Rogue and the driver as Curtis Reed. A search warrant for the vehicle was obtained.

On the morning of March 18, 2026, the Delaware State Police Special Operations Response Team located Reed while driving the Nissan in Wilmington and arrested him without incident. Reed and the vehicle were both taken to Troop 2. Detectives executed the search warrant and recovered a loaded handgun that was concealed in the vehicle.

For the February 6th case, Reed was charged with the below listed offenses, arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 2, and issued a $22,000 unsecured bond.

• Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony (Felony)
• Aggravated Menacing (Felony) – 2 counts

For the March 10th case, Reed was charged with the below listed offenses, arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 11, and committed to the Howard R. Young Correctional Institution on a $24,600 cash bond.

• Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony (Felony)
• Aggravated Menacing (Felony) – 2 counts

The Delaware State Police has identified 74-year-old Richard Bielawski of Harrington, Delaware, as the man who died in a fatal pedestrian hit-and-run crash on Monday in Milford.

The Delaware State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit continues to investigate this crash. Troopers are asking anyone who witnessed this crash or has information to contact Master Corporal W. Booth at (302) 698-8451. Information may also be provided by sending a private Facebook message to the Delaware State Police or contacting Delaware Crime Stoppers at (800) 847-3333.

If you or someone you know is a victim or witness of a crime, or you 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.

The Delaware State Police have arrested 24-year-old Jahlier Pettyjohn and 35-year-old Gabriella Tambourelli, both from Georgetown, Delaware, for felony drug charges following a search warrant last week in Georgetown.

On March 20, 2026, members of the, Sussex County Drug Unit, Sussex County Governor’s Task Force, the Delaware State Police Special Operations Response Team, and Georgetown Police Department, executed a search warrant at a property on the 200 block of East North Street in Georgetown. The search warrant was obtained following an investigation of Jahlier Pettyjohn for the distribution of illegal narcotics from the residence. During the search warrant, Pettyjohn was seen exiting the residence through a window but was quickly taken into custody. Gabriella Tambourelli was detained in the residence without incident. A child was also in the residence at the time.

During a search of Pettyjohn, Tambourelli, the residence, and property, detectives found the following items:

• Approximately 12.02 grams of heroin
• Approximately 7.94 grams of crack cocaine
• Approximately 2.74 grams of cocaine
• 7 Actavis pills (Buprenorphine Hydrochloride)
• 43 Suboxone films
• Digital scales
• Mason jar with cocaine residue
• Pyrex measuring cup with white powdery residue
• Microwave with cocaine residue
• Drug paraphernalia
• $809.00 is suspected drug proceeds

Pettyjohn was arrested and taken to Troop 4, where he was charged with the crimes listed below, arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 2, and committed to Sussex Correctional Institution on a $34,000 secured bond.

• Manufacture, Deliver, Possession with Intent to Deliver a Controlled Substance, Tier 3 (Felony)
• Manufacture, Deliver, Possession with Intent to Deliver a Controlled Substance (Felony)
• Possession of a Controlled Substance, Tier 3 (Felony)
• Possession of a Controlled Substance, Tier 1 (Felony)
• Unlawful to Knowingly Operate or Attempt to Operate a Clandestine Laboratory (Felony)
• Conspiracy 2^nd Degree (Felony)
• Endangering the Welfare of a Child by Committing a Drug Offense with Child in the Dwelling
• Resisting Arrest
• Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – 2 counts

Tambourelli was arrested and taken to Troop 4, where she was charged with the crimes listed below, arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 2, and released on a $17,000 unsecured bond.

• Unlawful to Knowingly Operate or Attempt to Operate a Clandestine Laboratory (Felony)
• Maintaining a Drug Property (Felony)
• Conspiracy 2^nd Degree (Felony)
• Endangering the Welfare of a Child by Committing a Drug Offense with Child in the Dwelling
• Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – 2 counts
• Possess, Consume a Controlled or Counterfeit Substance except Human Growth Hormone without a Prescription – 4 counts

The Delaware State Police are investigating a fatal pedestrian hit-and-run crash that occurred last night in Milford.

On March 23, 2026, at approximately 8:10 p.m., an unknown vehicle was traveling westbound on Milford-Harrington Highway east of Church Hill Road. At the same time, a pedestrian was walking westbound, possibly just inside the westbound lane of Milford-Harrington Highway, east of Church Hill Road.  The investigation revealed that the unknown vehicle struck the pedestrian and left the scene in an unknown direction of travel.

The pedestrian, a 74-year-old man from Harrington, Delaware, was taken to an area hospital where he died. His name is being withheld until his family is notified.

The roadway was closed for an extended time while the scene was investigated and cleared.

The Delaware State Police Troop 3 Collision Reconstruction Unit continues to investigate this crash. Troopers are asking anyone who witnessed this crash or might have more information to contact Master Corporal W. Booth by calling (302) 698-8451. 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 you 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.

The Delaware State Police arrested 40-year-old Joseph Hertkorn, of Linwood, Pennsylvania, on felony firearm and related charges in connection with a trespass investigation Sunday afternoon in Wilmington.

On March 22, 2026, at approximately 4:30 p.m., a business in the 300 block of Naamans Road reported they saw male suspect on their camera system walking around their property holding bolt cutters. The caller reported concerns that the man may try to force entry into the building and provided his description for responding troopers.

A responding trooper located a man matching the description, later identified as Joseph Hertkorn, walking on Naamans Road near the business while carrying bolt cutters. When the trooper attempted to detain him, Hertkorn fled on foot and jumped over a fence toward a nearby home improvement store. During the foot pursuit, the trooper observed Hertkorn discard a handgun.

Additional troopers responded to the area, and Hertkorn was taken into custody without further incident. A search of Hertkorn revealed drug paraphernalia and troopers also recovered the loaded handgun from a nearby wooded area. Further investigation determined Hertkorn is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a prior violent felony conviction.

Hertkorn was taken to Troop 1 where he was charged with the below listed crimes, arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 11, and committed to the Howard R. Young Correctional Institution on a $44,600 cash bond.

• Possession of a Firearm if Previously Convicted of a Violent Felony (Felony)
• Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited (Felony)
• Carrying a Concealed Deady Weapon (Felony)
• Possession of Burglar Tools (Felony)
• Resisting Arrest
• Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
• Criminal Trespass Second Degree

The Delaware State Police is investigating a single-vehicle fatal crash that occurred on Sunday in Georgetown.

On March 22, 2026, at approximately 5:10 p.m., a Chevrolet Silverado was traveling eastbound on Zoar Road, west of Governor Stockley Road, approaching a slight curve in the road. For reasons currently under investigation, the vehicle failed to navigate the curve and ultimately entered a farm field, where it struck an irrigation system and a utility pole before overturning onto its roof.

The driver, 23-year-old William Chilel-Ramirez, from Millsboro, Delaware, was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The roadway was closed for an extended time while the scene was investigated and cleared.

The investigation is still ongoing by the Delaware State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit. Troopers ask anyone who witnessed the crash to contact Master Corporal R. Albert at (302) 703-3266. Information may also be provided by sending a private Facebook message to the Delaware State Police or contacting Delaware Crime Stoppers at (800) 847-3333.

If you or someone you know is a victim or witness of a crime or has lost a loved one to a sudden death and needs 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.

The Delaware State Police is investigating a robbery that occurred Saturday afternoon at a New Castle Motel.

On March 21, 2026, at approximately 1:00 p.m., troopers responded to the Superlodge, located at 1213 West Avenue, for a report of a robbery. The preliminary investigation revealed two unknown male suspects approached a 23-year-old New Castle man as he stood in the parking lot. The suspects assaulted the victim and forcibly removed his personal property from his pockets before fleeing the scene. The victim was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The suspects are described as teenage or young adult males wearing dark-colored clothing.

The Delaware State Police Troop 2 Criminal Investigations Unit continues to investigate this incident. Detectives ask anyone with information relevant to the investigation to contact Detective D. Armstrong at (302) 365-8440. 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 you 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.