One charged after police chase leads to two vehicle crashes in Laurel
A man is in custody, after police say a traffic stop led to a vehicle chase and ended in two vehicle crashes, in Laurel. The suspect was initially wanted for a stolen tag.
Delaware State Police say on Sunday, just before 9:30 PM, the Sussex Emergency Operations Center dispatched a "be on the lookout" for 28-year-old David Burns, of Laurel, who was last seen driving a silver Mercedes Benz passenger vehicle with a stolen license plate. Troopers say Burns was wanted by the Seaford Police Department for the stolen tag and a pursuit happened on January 2. Burns was also wanted for a felony warrant out of Troop 5, in Bridgeville, for burglary, theft, and criminal mischief.
According to the report, on Sunday, just after 11:30AM, a trooper noticed the suspect vehicle on Seaford Road, near the intersection of Discount Land Road, in Laurel. A computer check apparently confirmed the false registration on the vehicle as it pulled into the parking lot of Food Lion, on Sussex Highway. At that point, the trooper attempted to conduct a traffic stop, and the suspect drove away as the trooper approached the vehicle.
Exiting the parking lot, police say Burns then drove toward another patrol vehicle who positioned his vehicle on Discount Land Road and Sussex Highway to prevent Burns from entering the roadway. DSP reports that the vehicle fled past the patrol vehicle onto US 13 southbound towards SR9. Authorities say the 28-year-old drove in an aggressive manner and overtook several vehicles on Sussex Highway before entering the right lane and passing on the shoulder. Burns then reportedly recklessly disregarded the reed light at the intersection of Sussex Highway and County Seat Highway (SR9). Troopers say he then continued to disregard police signals and made a U-turn on Trussum Pond Road, near Old Stage Road going west back towards Sussex Highway. At this point the chase ended.
The suspect then continued on and ran a red light at Sussex Highway where he collided with a 2015 ford F-150 in the northbound lanes. The truck was apparently driven by 58-year-old Virginia man. Continuing on after the crash, troopers say the suspect then hit a 66-year-old Millsboro woman at the intersection of Sussex Highway in the southbound lanes. The woman was apparently driving a 2016 Ford 4H.
According to law enforcement, following both crashes, the suspect vehicle stopped on the shoulder of Sussex Highway and Trussum Pond Road. DSP says the suspect then exited the vehicle fleeing the scene on foot into the wood area near Trussum Pond Road. Authorities report that a trooper and his K9 later found burns hiding in a ditch behind a broken toilet. He was then taken into custody.
According to the report, The 58-year-old Virginia man was not injured and he was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash. The 66-year-old Millsboro woman was wearing her seatbelt, and she was apparently taken to Nanticoke Memorial Hospital for further evaluation and treatment of minor injuries.
Burns was also apparently treated at Nanticoke Memorial Hospital for non-life threatening injuries. He is charged with possession of a deadly weapon during the commission of a felony, reckless endangering, receiving stolen property, resisting arrest, vehicular assault, leaving the scene of a collision resulting in Injury, disregarding a police officer signal, aggressive driving, reckless driving, driving without a valid license, and other traffic related offenses. He was later turned over to the Sussex Correctional Institution on a $26,360 cash bond. Burns was issued an additional $5,750 secured bond for the burglary, theft, and criminal mischief.
