By Craig Anderson

DELMAR — As a Delmar police veteran remained in critical condition Monday, details emerged on the incident that left him and a neighboring couple brutally beaten.

According to court documents, responding officers found Cpl. Keith Heacook, 54, in a residence unconscious and face down with blunt force trauma to the head. The 22-year department veteran had responded to the 11000 block of Buckingham Drive in the Yorkshire Estates Community for a reported fight in progress at 5:12 a.m. Sunday.

A resident there had called 911 and “reported that an unknown individual was fighting with everyone in the residence and destroying the house,” according to the affidavit of probable cause filed by Delaware State Police.

After Cpl. Heacook arrived, documents state, a police dispatch attempt to contact him for a status report was unsuccessful and additional police units were sent to the location. Upon finding Cpl. Heacook, responding officers initiated medical assistance until paramedics arrived. He was transported to TidalHeath in Salisbury, Maryland, police said and then escorted to Shock Trauma in Baltimore.

Officers removed a number of occupants from the home and following interviews with them, police said Randon D. Wilkerson, 30, of Delmar, was identified as a person of interest.

Within minutes of the 5:12 a.m. 911 call, police said another call came in across the street on Buckingham Drive.

Police learned that in a separate but related incident, Steven Franklin, 73, and his wife Judith, 76, were in their residence when allegedly assaulted by Mr. Wilkerson. Court documents state that the suspect knocked on the couple’s door and said there had been a disturbance across the street. After gaining entry, court records show, Mr. Wilkerson then struck them repeatedly with a glass figurine.

Both sustained significant injuries.

One person in the original residence told police, according to the affidavit, that he had been punched in the face by Mr. Wilkerson around 3 a.m.

Arriving officers located Mr. Wilkerson walking in the rear of the property, documents said. He was then transported to DSP Troop 5 where police said in the probable cause document that he tried to kick a phlebotomist attempting to draw his blood.

Mr. Wilkerson is charged with offensive touching of a medical professional in connection with that incident.

On Monday, Cpl. Heacook’s condition was considered “critical,” according to Delaware State Police spokesman Master Cpl. Gary Fournier, who said he did not have an update on the Franklin couple’s health.

“This will be an active and ongoing investigation. Due to the nature of Cpl. Heacook’s injuries we will continue to conduct interviews,” Master Cpl. Fournier said.

Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Csapo at 741-2729.

Mr. Wilkerson also was charged with first-degree attempted murder, first-degree assault (two counts), possession of a deadly weapon during the commission of a felony (two counts), first-degree burglary, third-degree assault and terroristic threatening.

A combined $451,000 bail was set at Justice of the Peace Court 3 and Mr. Wilkerson was then held in custody at Sussex Correctional Institution. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Wednesday in the Court of Common Pleas.