Ohio Man Charged With DUI / Vehicular Assault Following Chase

Location: Route 13 and SR9 in Seaford, Delaware, Sussex County

Date of Occurrence: Sunday, October 11, 2009, at 1:07 a.m.

Suspect(s): Travieso Moises, 20, of Pinetree Road in Columbus, Ohio

Resume: A Columbus, Ohio man was charged with DUI, Vehicular Assault and other offenses early this morning after short car chase in Seaford, Delaware.

This incident began after several concerned citizens called the State Police dispatch center in Sussex County, SUSCOM, and advised a red Chevrolet Venture was traveling on Route 13 northbound in the southbound lanes.

Patrol units were dispatched and located the suspect vehicle, still traveling northbound on the wrong side of the road, on Route 13 at CR 485. The initial officer on the scene activated his emergency equipment at which time the suspect vehicle took off.

As the Chevy neared the area of Route 13 and Concord Road, a back-up officer deployed “stop-sticks” (a tire deflation device). The van ran over the device and it started to reduce its speed.

At this same time, John Jenny, 25, of Dagsboro, Delaware, was operating a Dodge Dakota, southbound on Route 13 and observed the van still traveling northbound, in the southbound lanes, directly toward him. Mr. Jenny pulled over to the side of the road to come to a stop and let the van go by when the Chevrolet Venture struck his vehicle.

Both vehicles were now stopped.

Mr. Travieso was trapped in his vehicle for a period of time until he could be extricated by mechanical means.

The occupants in the Dakota- Mr. Jenny, a 24-year-old man and a 23-year-old woman- sustained non-life threatening injuries.

Investigators determined that Moises Travieso was driving under the influence of alcohol. He was treated at an area medical center for non-life threatening injuries. He was formally charged just a few hours ago with the following offenses: Possession of a Deadly Weapon during a Commission of a Felony [his vehicle] (felony), Disregarding a Police Officers Signal (felony), three counts of Vehicular Assault 2nd (felony), DUI, Underage Consumption, No License and seven other moving violations. Bail was set at $24,900 secured and Travieso was committed to the Sussex Correctional Institute.