New Castle – On January 3, 2018 at approximately 8:00P, a Delaware Memorial Bridge toll collector alerted the Delaware River Bridge Authority (DRBA) Police Dispatch that a white Mercedes sedan departed the tolls without making payment and advised that the driver appeared to be DUI, according to DRBA Spokesman James Salmon.
Salmon said a DRBA police officer, Senior Corporal Douglas Young, responded and followed behind the vehicle, observing numerous moving violations and the driver operating the vehicle in an erratic, unsafe manner.
S/Cpl. Young attempted a traffic stop at I-95 SB just south of Route 141, but the driver failed to pull over and a pursuit was initiated, with Delaware State Police notified, according to Salmon. The vehicle exited onto Route 273 WB and entered the Birchwood Community and struck a chain-link fence while navigating a turn at the intersection of Donald Drive at S. Gerald Drive, said Salmon. The vehicle fled the scene back onto Route 273 W/B and then onto Route 4 N/B and attempted to enter the Allendale Village Apartments. The vehicle failed to negotiate the curve, jumped the concrete median, and struck a BMW sedan approaching from the opposite direction (functional damage/no injury).
The suspect vehicle reversed course onto Route 4 NB and fled the scene. The vehicle then failed to negotiate the curve at the intersection of Route 4 NB at Harmony Road and struck a Hyundai Sonata stopped at the red light intersection, said Salmon. As the vehicle became disabled, the male driver exited the vehicle and attempted to flee on foot before being subdued and taken into custody by DRBA officers. Both vehicles were disabled and towed from the scene after investigation was complete.
The male subject, Richard Otchere, 21, of Newark, New Jersey, was transported to DRBA police headquarters for processing. The subject was charged via warrant with DUI, disregarding police signal, vehicular assault, reckless endangering, resisting arrest, possession of burglar tools, and a multitude of traffic violations.
As officers were apprehending the suspect other officers were checking on the driver of the Hyundai Sonata. The driver of the Sonata was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries by the Mill Creek Fire Company and was later released, according to his post on our Facebook page .
“I’m the person the asshole hit while I was sitting at a red light. He slammed into my front driver’s side at high speed and spun my car more than 90 degrees. Most likely totaled my car. I just got home from the hospital. After he hit me, he got out of his car and tried to run but the police took him down in the grass right in front of my car.”, said the driver.
In the video you can see officers cuffing the suspect on near the patrol vehicle as other officers check on the injured man.
DelDOT