Delaware: 0 Driver Accused of Trying to Hit Harrington Officer with Vehicle
A Wilmington man has been arrested following accusations that he tried to hit a Harrington police officer with his vehicle.
Police say Andy J. Leary, 40, of Wilmington, is in custody and charged with first-degree reckless endangering, disregard of a police officer signal, driving under the influence of drugs, resisting arrest, criminal mischief, driving with a suspended or revoked license and several other traffic violations.
According to a department news release, an officer on patrol on South DuPont Highway in the area of Corn Crib Road tried to stop a vehicle for a traffic violation.
The officer was in a fully marked vehicle with lights and sirens activated, according to police.
Police say the vehicle failed to stop and fled at a high rate of speed and in a reckless manner on Route 13 northbound.
The vehicle then turned onto Route 14 and began traveling eastbound and began traveling on the wrong side of the road and passing vehicles on the shoulder, according to police.
Due to safety concerns officers say they discontinued the pursuit and deactivated all emergency equipment and began following the suspect vehicle at a safe distance.
The suspect vehicle allegedly pulled into a development off of Route 14, slowed down and officers believed the vehicle was going to stop.
Officers got out of their vehicles in an attempt to take the suspect into custody.
That's when police say the suspect vehicle accelerated towards a Harrington officer and fled again from officers.
Officers then pursued the vehicle again back towards Harrington eventually turning onto Route 13 northbound.
Police say the suspect vehicle continued to travel at a high rate of and began riding in the grass median of Route 13.
The suspect vehicle then lost control striking a Harrington Police Department vehicle, entering into a field and coming to a stop.
The driver, who was identified as Leary and an adult female passenger were both taken into custody.
During a search of the vehicle police located six baggies of heroin and drug paraphernalia.
A computer check also revealed that Leary had two active capias out of New Castle County Court of Common Pleas for violation of probation and failure to appear for arraignment for driving under the influence, according to police.
Leary was also wanted out of the state of Pennsylvania on shoplifting charges and he also had a suspended driver’s license, police said.
Leary was transported to Kent General Hospital for a blood draw for driving under the Influence and his passenger was transported to the Harrington Police Department.
The female passenger was later released and not charged.
Leary was arraigned via video phone at Justice of the Peace Court 7 and was committed to the Sussex Correctional Institute in default of $9,709 secured bond.
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