A 37-year-old Lewes man is facing multiple felony charges, including his sixth DUI offense, following a crash in Milford that left two people injured. According to Milford Police, the incident occurred on Sunday, May 25, 2025, at approximately 9:36 p.m., when officers were dispatched to a motor vehicle collision with reported injuries on Old Shawnee Road, west of Evergreen Lane.
The preliminary investigation determined that a Ford Focus, allegedly traveling at a high rate of speed, struck the rear of a GMC Sierra while both vehicles were headed westbound. The impact caused the Ford Focus to veer off the roadway and crash into the front porch of a home in the 5800 block of Old Shawnee Road. Authorities said the driver of the Focus, identified as Thomas Clendaniel of Lewes, fled the scene on foot, heading north through nearby properties.
Delaware State Police Aviation, Milford Police Department’s K9 Unit, and responding officers conducted a search of the area but were initially unable to locate the suspect. Police later confirmed that both a passenger in the Ford Focus and the driver of the GMC Sierra sustained injuries during the crash. They were treated and released.
Several hours after the collision, police received a report of a suspicious person in the unit block of Sunset Lane, located near the crash site. Responding officers located the individual and identified him as Clendaniel. police said He was taken into custody without further incident.
Following his arrest, Clendaniel was charged with 6th Offense Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol (Felony), Breach of Conditions of Bond (Felony), Vehicular Assault in the Second Degree, Vehicular Assault in the Third Degree, and multiple traffic violations.
Clendaniel was arraigned at Justice of the Peace Court 7 and subsequently committed to the Department of Correction on $53,605 cash bail. A no-contact order was issued barring him from interacting with the victims. A preliminary hearing is scheduled to take place in the Sussex County Court of Common Pleas.