WILMINGTON, DE — A Wilmington man is facing multiple felony charges after police said a pedestrian crash escalated into a series of confrontations with officers and the recovery of a firearm Thursday afternoon.
According to New Castle County Police, officers responded at approximately 12:06 p.m. on March 19 to the area of Oregon Road and Nebraska Road in the Park Place Trailer Park community for a report of a motor vehicle collision involving a pedestrian.
Police identified the pedestrian as 32-year-old Maliq Smith-Lemon of Wilmington and said he was not injured in the collision.
According to investigators, Smith-Lemon allegedly confronted the driver following the incident, struck the vehicle, demanded the driver exit, and made threats of violence.
Police reported that when officers attempted to take Smith-Lemon into custody, he fled on foot and was apprehended in the 4600 block of Haverford Place.
Authorities said Smith-Lemon allegedly resisted arrest and engaged in multiple physical altercations with officers while being placed into a patrol vehicle, resulting in minor injuries to officers.
According to police, a 911 caller reported that a firearm may have been discarded during the foot pursuit. Officers returned to the area and recovered a handgun in a nearby parking lot.
Investigators determined Smith-Lemon is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a prior felony conviction in Philadelphia, according to police.
Police reported that after being transported to New Castle County Police Headquarters, Smith-Lemon allegedly continued to resist and was involved in another physical altercation with officers, causing additional minor injuries.
Smith-Lemon was charged with three counts of second-degree assault involving a law enforcement officer, three counts of resisting arrest, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, possession of a firearm by a person prohibited, two counts of offensive touching involving law enforcement, terroristic threatening, disorderly conduct, harassment, offensive touching, and criminal mischief, according to authorities.
Police said he was arraigned in Justice of the Peace Court 11 and committed to the Howard R. Young Correctional Institution on $88,300.00 cash bail.
All suspects, arrestees, and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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