Domestic incident investigation leads to pursuit, barricade situation

DOVER, Del. – A domestic incident Monday afternoon led to a pursuit and barricade situation in the Dover area.

The investigation started at around 3:15 p.m., when officers were called to the unit block of Vera Way for a report of a domestic incident where a female was in possession of a knife and threatening another subject. When officers arrived at the scene, they found the 18-year-old still in possession of the knife. When officers tried to contact the suspect, she got into a vehicle and drove away.

Officers subsequently pursued the suspect as she drove westbound to McKee Road and College Road, where she stopped, at which point officers tried to take her into custody. Instead, the suspect reportedly pulled out a large knife and reversed her vehicle, hitting a Dover Police patrol vehicle. The suspect then drove northbound on McKee Road to Scarborough Road, eventually traveling southbound on North DuPont Highway before coming to a stop in the southbound lanes of the 1100 block of North DuPont Highway. The chase lasted approximately 10 minutes.

Officers then made contact with the suspect at the window of the vehicle and she reportedly expressed the intent to harm herself with the knife while refusing to get out of the vehicle. An ambulance was requested and the northbound and southbound lanes of North DuPont Highway were closed int he immediate area.

Members of the Dover Police Department’s Crisis Negotiations Team spoke to the 18-year-old for approximately an hour and a half before she got out of the vehicle and was taken into custody. She was taken to an area hospital for evaluation.

No one was injured, and no vehicles were damaged.