Reported assault in Laurel under investigation

LAUREL, Del. – Delaware State Police are investigating a reported assault incident involving a weapon that took place on Wednesday evening.

At around 7:00 PM, troopers were called to respond to the intersection of Sycamore Road and West Elliotts Dam Road, for a complaint of an assault. When they arrived at the scene, troopers discovered that two people were involved in a physical altercation, leading one suspect to discharge a firearm into a nearby wooded area.

Both suspects were transported to Nanticoke Memorial Hospital for treatment of injuries.

Officials later discovered that 25-year-old Dan-el Moody of Red Springs, NC, and a 27-year-old male acquaintance from Ninety Six, SC, got into an argument while they were driving down the road in a truck together. The 27-year-old located a gun inside the vehicle and hit Moody in the head with the weapon.

Moody eventually took possession of the gun, and at some point during the altercation the gun was fired, however, neither subject was hit.

Following Moody’s release from the hospital, he was transported to Troop 5, facing multiple charges. He was arraigned and committed to the Sussex Correctional Institution on $7,000 secured bond.

The 27-year-old was later transferred to Christiana Hospital, due to the injuries he sustained as a result of the incident. He has active warrants out of Troop 5 for third degree assault and possession of a firearm while under the influence.

The area of Sycamore Road between Fire Tower Road and West Elliotts Dam Road was closed for roughly two hours Wednesday evening so the incident could be investigated and cleared.