Delaware State Police have arrested 33-year-old Clifford David of Greenwood, Delaware, for multiple felony offenses following a serious crash in Delmar.
Officials said on September 24, 2024, at approximately 9:49 p.m., troopers responded to a residence on the 16000 block of Whitesville Road in Delmar for a report of a fugitive, identified as Clifford David, who had absconded from the Sussex Community Corrections work crew earlier in the day. Before troopers arrived, they were notified that David fled from the residence with a 25-year-old woman and three children, ages 1, 2, and 7, in a stolen Chevrolet Silverado from the Harrington area according to police. While fleeing, David stopped to remove the children from the truck, but the woman pulled two of the three children back in. A witness took custody of the 7-year-old child, who was not injured, before David drove away again. David later crashed the Silverado on August Road near Whitesville Road.
The preliminary investigation showed that David was driving southbound on August Road recklessly and at a high rate of speed. David failed to negotiate a curve, causing the truck to leave the road, enter a ditch, and overturn. The unrestrained woman and two unrestrained children were ejected from the vehicle. All three sustained serious injuries and were taken to area hospitals. David fled the scene after the crash, prompting troopers to obtain warrants for his arrest.
On the morning of September 25, 2024, at approximately 7:00 a.m., troopers located David on Sussex Highway near Salt Barn Road in Laurel and took him into custody without incident.
David has been charged with Reckless Endangering 1st Degree (three counts), Theft of a Motor Vehicle, Receiving Stolen Property, Resisting Arrest, Vehicular Assault 2nd Degree, Vehicular Assault 3rd Degree (two counts), Leaving the Scene of an Injury Crash, and multiple traffic offenses. He was arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 3 and committed to Sussex Correctional Institution on a $21,000 secured bond.
David was serving time for VOP: Theft < $1,500, VOP: Assault 3rd, VOP: Unauthorized Use, VOP: Non-Compliance with Conditions, and VOP: Theft of a Motor Vehicle, VOP: Assault 2nd at the time he walked away, He was being sought on a Warrant for Escape after Conviction.