WILMINGTON, DE — Delaware State Police arrested three Wilmington teenagers Sunday afternoon after an alleged stolen vehicle pursuit ended in a crash that sent an uninvolved driver to the hospital and scattered the suspects on foot, authorities said.
Police reported that on December 14, 2025, at approximately 12:00 p.m., troopers received updated information from the Delaware State Police dispatch center regarding a Ford Explorer that had been reported stolen the previous day by the New Castle County Police Department. A trooper patrolling Kirkwood Highway near Poplar Avenue in Elsmere spotted the vehicle traveling eastbound and began following it while waiting for additional law enforcement support.
According to police, the Explorer continued through several area streets before allegedly running a red light while traveling southbound on North Dupont Road at North Maryland Avenue. Troopers said the SUV then collided with a Dodge Ram pickup truck on South Dupont Road in Wilmington.
Investigators said the 14-year-old driver and a 15-year-old passenger fled the scene on foot following the crash but were apprehended after a brief chase without further incident. A 16-year-old passenger remained with the vehicle and was taken into custody at the scene.
The driver of the Dodge Ram, a 62-year-old man from Newark, Delaware, was transported to a nearby hospital with injuries described by police as non-life-threatening. Authorities said none of the teenagers reported injuries at the scene.
Police charged the 14-year-old with receiving stolen property valued over $1,500, a felony; resisting arrest; third-degree vehicular assault; and multiple related traffic offenses. The juvenile was arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 11 and committed to the Department of Services for Children, Youth, and Their Families on a $3,700 secured bond.
The 15-year-old was charged with receiving stolen property valued over $1,500, a felony, and resisting arrest. That juvenile was arraigned by the same court and released on a $2,000 unsecured bond.
The 16-year-old was charged with receiving stolen property valued over $1,500, a felony, arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 11, and released on a $1,000 unsecured bond.
All charges are allegations. Any suspect, arrestee, or defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Support the local news that supports Chester County. MyChesCo delivers reliable, fact-based reporting and essential community resources—free for everyone. If you value that, click here to become a patron today.