Wilmington Police are investigating an incident that led to an hour-and-a-half long police chase Thursday night.
In response to an email FSU sent to the Wilmington Police Department (WPD) Friday morning, WPD spokesman David Karas explains what happened.
Karas said a patrol officer attempted to conduct a vehicle stop in connection with an ongoing investigation, at which time the vehicle fled.
First State Update told you the high-speed police chase began Thursday evening, around 6:30, when the officer attempted to pull over a red Nissan Altima with heavily tinted windows.
The driver, identified as 25-year-old Jamal Thomas, led authorities on a pursuit that took them onto the highway and through various parts of New Castle County, eventually ending at a shopping center located at the intersection of Route 40 and Salem Church Road.
The chase involved a series of maneuvers, with the vehicle speeding down I-95 southbound, weaving through Old Baltimore Pike, darting through yards in Sparrow Run, and then returning to Route 40 where the chase turned into a slow-speed chase. Just before 8:00, the car finally stopped in the parking lot of the Salem Center Shopping Center located at 1635 Pulaski Highway in Bear. After the vehicle stopped officers with long guns drawn performed a felony car stop and removed the occupants.
Thomas was later taken into custody with the assistance of Delaware State Police and New Castle County Police according to Karas.
He has been charged with Disregarding a Police Officer Signal, Reckless Endangering (Second Degree), and Resisting in addition to multiple traffic violations.
Karas did not mention the other occupants of the vehicle or what investigation led the officer to attempt the car stop.
Thomas was arraigned in Justice of the Peace Court 11 and committed to the Howard R. Young Correctional Institution pending further proceedings.