Dover domestic incident leads to pursuit, barricade
By DOVER — An 18-year-old Dover female is receiving treatment at an area hospital following a domestic altercation that led to a vehicle pursuit and barricade Monday, city police said.
Spokesman Master Cpl. Ryan Schmid said officers were called to Vera Way around 3:15 p.m., after a report of a female with a knife threatening another person. Upon their arrival, the woman still possessed the knife, and when officers confronted her, she entered a vehicle and drove away, police said.
With officers in pursuit, the female drove west to McKee and College roads, where she stopped, and authorities attempted to take her into custody, Cpl. Schmid said. The female then pulled out a large knife and drove in reverse, striking a Dover patrol vehicle, he added.
The suspect then drove north on McKee Road to Scarborough Road, eventually traveling south on North DuPont Highway, before stopping in the 1100 block of the southbound lanes, police said.
The pursuit lasted approximately 10 minutes. When officers made contact with the female at the window of her vehicle on U.S. 13, she expressed the intent to harm herself with the knife and refused to exit, Cpl. Schmid said.
An ambulance was requested, and all lanes of North DuPont Highway were closed in the immediate area, leading to major traffic delays.
Members of the Dover Police Department Crisis Negotiation Team spoke to the woman for approximately an hour-and-a-half before she exited the vehicle and was taken into custody without further incident.
The suspect was transported to an area hospital for an evaluation. No one was injured during this incident, and no vehicles were damaged.
Given the sensitive circumstances, Cpl. Schmid said, the name of the individual will not be released.
