A 15-year-old Smyrna resident is facing felony and related charges after police said he struck an 8-year-old boy with a dirt bike, police say.
According to the Smyrna Police Department, officers were dispatched at about 4:00 p.m. on Friday, May 15, 2026, to Sunnyside Park in the Sunnyside Development for a report of a child struck by a dirt bike.
Investigators determined the 8-year-old victim was playing on the basketball courts when a juvenile allegedly operating a dirt bike illegally in the area collided with him, causing injuries. Police said the rider then fled without notifying authorities.
The injured child was transported to Nemours Children’s Hospital for treatment.
Following a search of the area, officers located the suspected operator, identified as a 15-year-old male from Smyrna who also lives in the Sunnyside Development.
The teen was taken to Smyrna Police headquarters, where he was charged with second-degree assault, second-degree reckless endangering, second-degree vehicular assault, and multiple off-highway vehicle violations.
He was arraigned through Justice of the Peace Court and released on a $12,005 unsecured bond pending a future hearing in Kent County Family Court.
Police noted that all charges are allegations, and the suspect is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
