Troopers Arrest Man After He Steals His Own Truck, New Castle

Location: Stop-N-Go, 89B Christiana Road, New Castle, DE

Date of Occurrence: Friday September 14, 2012 at approximately 12:38 a.m.

Defendant, Charges and Bond Information:

Donald A. Smith II, 30, Bear, DE
Disregarding a Police Officer’s Signal
Theft of Services under $1,500
Criminal Mischief (2 counts)
Driving While Suspended
Criminal Trespass 2nd
Improper Lane Change
Driving on the Wrong Side of Roadway
Driving Across a Median

Arraigned at JP11 and released after posting $5,750.00 secured bail.

Resume:
New Castle, DE- The Delaware State Police have arrested a Bear man after he stole his own truck with a front end loader from a business that was repairing it.

The incident began as troopers were called to the Stop-N-Go located off Christiana Road in New Castle around 12:38 a.m. last night for a report of theft of a motor vehicle. The business owner was notified that part of the fence surrounding the complex was torn down. Further investigation revealed that a 1999 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck was missing. As the troopers were reviewing surveillance tapes with the Stop-N-Go owner, they were able to observe a front end loader with fork lifts attached drive down the side of the property and out of the camera view. Upon returning a few minutes later, the video shows the front end loader carrying the pickup truck on its forks and depart the area.

The store owner then attempted to contact the truck owner to inform him of what had taken place, but the call went into voicemail. A few moments later, the truck owner, who later turned out to be Donald A. Smith II, phoned him back and told him he had gotten his truck back tonight and even explained that he had used his front end loader to retrieve it. Donald had defaulted on the payment he owed Stop-N-Go for the work they completed on the pickup so the truck was being held until the payment was received.

At approximately 1:15 a.m. as this investigation was continuing, a radio call was being transmitted for a subject operating a front end loader in the parking lot of Pockets Restaurant and Tavern located at 315 South DuPont Highway. As troopers converged on the area, they were informed the front end loader had entered a heavily wooded area behind Pockets. Upon locating the large vehicle, it began to exit the woods and travel southbound on US13. Troopers began their pursuit of the loader as it made its way across the center median and for a period of time traveled southbound in the northbound lanes before crossing back over to the southbound lane. The pursuit of the front end loader lasted approximately 35 minutes as the vehicle traveled through a private driveway and into the Chaddwyck Development before crossing back over US13 and into a corn field where troopers discontinued their chase.

As the troopers began setting up a perimeter of the cornfield, the front end loader was spotted on Buena Vista Drive where it drove down Camino Court and in between the residences located at 21 Camino Court. Smith was unaware of the retention pond located behind the houses and drove the loader into the pond where it became disabled.

Smith was able to escape from the front end loader and swim to the shore where he was taken into custody without incident. He was then transported back to Troop 2 where he was processed for the above charges and arraigned at JP11. He was later released after posting $5,750.00 secured bond.

Surveillance video from the Stop-N-Go is unavailable for release.