Officers from the New Castle County Division of Police have arrested 53-year-old James Thorpe of Middletown on charges related to his 10th DUI offense.
Officials said on Sunday, November 24, 2024, at approximately 3:27 p.m., a Patrol Officer was stopped at a red light on Bayview Road at Route 13 when a red Dodge Ram rear-ended the Officer’s Tahoe.
The driver, later identified as James Thorpe, reversed his vehicle and fled the scene, heading northbound on Route 13. The Officer pursued Thorpe, who ignored stop signals and continued into the Wawa parking lot at Boyd’s Corner. Thorpe was apprehended there, and the Officer observed clear signs of impairment officials said Tuesday. A background check revealed Thorpe had nine prior DUI convictions. The Officer was not injured during the incident.
Thorpe was transported to New Castle County Police headquarters, where he was charged with one felony count of driving a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, one felony count of disregarding a police officer’s signal, and one felony count of noncompliance with conditions of recognizance bond or conditions.
He was also charged with one misdemeanor count of leaving the scene of a property collision accident, one misdemeanor count of driving while suspended or revoked, and two traffic violations for limitations on turning around and failure to signal continuously.
He was arraigned by the Justice of the Peace Court 11 and committed to Howard R. Young Correctional Institution after failing to pay $36,200 cash bail.