Maryland State Police from the JFK Memorial Highway Barrack apprehended three Delaware men in Cecil County wanted in connection with multiple shootings in Delaware, officials said Monday.
Authorities said two of the accused are juveniles and are charged as adults. The juveniles are both 17 and both are from Wilmington, Delaware.
Juvenile 1 is criminally charged with four counts of first-degree assault, multiple firearm violations, motor vehicle theft, along with other criminal and traffic-related charges. He was the driver of the black Jeep Patriot involved in the incident which was reported stolen in Delaware.
Juvenile 2 was a passenger in the Jeep. He is charged with multiple firearm violations, motor vehicle theft, and other criminal and traffic-related charges.
Stanley Jones, 18, of Claymont, Delaware was the other passenger in the Jeep. Jones is charged with multiple firearm violations, motor vehicle theft, and other criminal and traffic-related charges.
The three accused are being held at the Cecil County Detention Center and are awaiting an initial appearance before a court commissioner. All three are wanted in connection with violent crimes committed in Wilmington, Delaware, according to police.
Shortly before 10:00 p.m. last night, Delaware State Police contacted troopers at the JFK Memorial Highway Barrack about a black Jeep Patriot with Delaware tags heading toward the Maryland/Delaware state line. Troopers were advised the vehicle was stolen and wanted in connection with multiple shootings in Wilmington, Delaware over the weekend. A description of the suspect vehicle was broadcast to all Maryland law enforcement in the area.
At approximately 10:15 p.m. a trooper from the JFK Memorial Highway Barrack observed the black Jeep traveling southbound on I-95 near the 87-mile marker in Harford County. While the trooper continued to follow the suspect vehicle, the barrack duty officer requested support from the Maryland State Police Aviation Command. Simultaneously, additional troopers from the barrack took positions around the area in preparation to conduct a traffic stop on the stolen Jeep.
The Jeep exited southbound I-95 at Exit 77 and traveled north on MD Route 24 and then turned right on to Singer Road where three marked Maryland State Police patrol cars activated their emergency lights and sirens and attempted to conduct a traffic stop.
The driver of the Jeep, Juvenile 1, intentionally rammed two of the patrol cars and then fled the scene. He traveled southbound MD Route 924 and turned north on Route 24. Troopers in marked patrol cars, with their emergency equipment activated, continued to pursue the Jeep. The pursuit continued traveling north and on to northbound US Route 1.
The Jeep continued to flee police and traveled across the Conowingo Dam into Cecil County. They turned on to Route 273, then Route 275 and on to Route 275 where the Jeep drove off the roadway into a tree line where the vehicle came to rest. All three suspects exited the vehicle and fled on foot into the woods.
With the assistance of the Maryland State Police Aviation Command Trooper 1 flying overhead of the scene, the three suspects were observed running in different directions. At approximately 10:45 p.m. troopers on the ground from the North East Barrack, Bel Air Barrack and JFK Memorial Highway Barrack located all three men in different areas: one in an adjacent housing division, one in a nearby trailer park, and one that was hiding in a wooded area near the crashed Jeep. All three were taken into custody and arrested without incident.
The length of the police pursuit was approximately thirty miles. Two firearms that were discarded during the incident were located along the route of the pursuit. No troopers were injured during the incident.
Troopers from the JFK Memorial Highway Barrack, North East Barrack and Bel Air Barrack responded to the scene along with investigators from the Maryland State Police Homicide Unit. Assistance was provided by officers and crime scene technicians from the Wilmington Police Department.
