The Delaware State Police have arrested 18-year-old Kymani Roberts of Middletown and a 17-year-old male after an attempted carjacking that occurred in Bear yesterday morning.
Officials said on February 17, 2023, at approximately 9:43 a.m., troopers responded to the LA Fitness located at 900 Eden Circle regarding an attempted carjacking. Troopers contacted the victim, a 48-year-old man from Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, who said that he had been seated in his locked car when he was approached by several subjects.
One of the subjects tried to get into the back seat of his car while another stood at the driver’s door and pointed a handgun at him, demanding that he get out and give him the keys. The victim complied and went into LA Fitness to report the incident. He was not injured.
The suspects were unable to properly reverse the victim’s vehicle out of the parking space. They left the car in the parking lot and fled the scene in a Honda Accord eastbound on Pulaski Highway. Troopers saw the Honda in the area and attempted to stop the car, but the driver fled from the scene. Troopers pursued the car until it crashed in the area of East 4th Street at Swedes Landing in Wilmington. Authorities said Driver Kymani Roberts attempted to run away from the crash, but he was taken into custody without incident. A search of the Accord led to the recovery of a black airsoft gun that closely resembled an actual handgun police said.
A second suspect from the carjacking, a 17-year-old male from New Castle was also located and detained on New Castle Avenue a short time later.
Both suspects were taken to Troop 2, where they were charged with the following crimes:
Kymani Roberts:
- Attempted Robbery First Degree (Felony)
- Possession of a Deadly Weapon During the Commission of a Felony (Felony)
- Aggravated Menacing (Felony)
- Conspiracy Second Degree (Felony)
- Disregarding a Police Officer Signal (Felony)
- Numerous traffic charges
Roberts was arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 2 and committed to Howard R. Young Correctional Institution on $56,208 cash bond.
17-year-old male:
- Attempted Robbery First Degree (Felony)
- Conspiracy Second Degree
The teen was arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 2 and committed to the New Castle County Detention Center on $39,500 cash bond.
Initial reports from the scene indicated that as many as five subjects were in the car when it crashed. Police search the Southbridge area of Wilmington using K-9’s and Delaware State Police Aviation’s Trooper 4.
The Delaware State Police Troop 2 Criminal Investigations Unit is still actively investigating this incident. Troopers are asking for anyone with information regarding this case to contact Detective J. Dempsey by calling 302-365-8370.