High speed chase through Ocean View leads to arrest of New York man

OCEAN VIEW, Del. – A New York man was arrested Tuesday evening following a high speed chase through the Ocean View area.

At around 7 p.m., an Ocean View Police Department officer reportedly saw a suspicious vehicle parked in the driveway of an unoccupied residence in the Country Estates development. A short time later, the vehicle, a gray Nissan Altima with New York registration, was seen speeding southbound on Central Avenue. The officer tried to stop the vehicle, but the driver fled and led the officer on a chase.

A backup officer responded, and both officers pursued the suspect vehicle through the area. The driver was reportedly driving recklessly, endangering multiple motorists and forcing several vehicles off the roadway. The suspect vehicle drove off the Road along Route 54 outside of Selbyville, crashing through a fence at Coastal Flooring.

The chase continued through the Atlantic Lakes subdivision, where a female passenger allegedly got out of the car and fled on foot. She has not been identified and remains at large.

The vehicle eventually came to a stop in the front yard of a residence on Glennaker Lane. The driver fled on foot but was taken into custody a short time later.

Police identified the driver as 31-year-old Trumane Gibbs, and a search of the car led police to find a large quantity of over the counter medications and related items that were believed to have been stolen from a local pharmacy. Police say they believe Gibbs and the female passenger may be involved in an organized retail theft operation.

Gibbs was held at SCI on a $3,750 cash bail on a list of charges, including disregarding a police officer’s signal, offensive touching of another with saliva, and driving without a license.