Lewes man charged for deer spotlighting, one still wanted

Authorities have arrested one person, and are looking for another, in connection to illegal hunting practices in Sussex County.

Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control says on November 7, DNREC Division of Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police arrested 46-year-old David Richards of Lewes. Richards is accused in a deer spotlighting incident that happened in Harbeson, that reportedly led to a night-time pursuit in the Harbeson, during which Richards, a poaching suspect, resisted an order to give himself up.

After his arrest, Richards was charged with felony failure to stop on command of a police officer, resisting arrest, spotlighting, driving with a suspended or revoked license, operating a motor vehicle with fictitious tags, operating an unregistered motor vehicle, operating a motor vehicle without insurance, and inattentive driving. He is now being held at the Sussex Correctional Institution in Georgetown on $4,102 secured bond.

DNREC says they are now asking for the public’s help in locating a second suspect, who is still at large. The second suspect was reportedly last seen fleeing on foot from Richards’ vehicle, wearing a hooded camouflage sweatshirt and camouflage ball cap, and may be armed.