Troopers Conducting Death Investigation

Bridgeville, DE – Troopers are continuing their investigation into the death of a 35-year-old man after he and a female were involved in a pursuit in western Sussex County.

The incident began around 6:30 p.m. Friday April 3, 2015 when an off-duty trooper observed a vehicle matching the description of the one used in the bank robbery that occurred at the PNC Bank in Milford on Thursday April 2nd. The maroon Chevrolet Impala was located traveling westbound on Hickman Road (SR16) west of Greenwood before it turned southbound on Linden School Road and out of site of the trooper.

Around 7:25 p.m. a trooper on patrol observed the maroon Impala on Shell Bridge Road entering the town of Bethel and began following close behind before other troopers began closing in on the suspected armed subject. Once on Sussex Highway (US13) the car turned northbound and continued to elude the now pursuing troopers. The car turned eastbound on Middleford Road and continued to travel through stop signs at numerous intersections until it eventually began traveling westbound on Seashore Highway (SR404) from Wilson Hill Road.

Bridgeville Police Department had deployed their Tire Deflation Device (Stop Sticks) in the westbound lane of travel near Oak Road and the Impala struck the device which began to slowly deflate the tires. As the vehicle began to pull to a controlled stop between Oak Road and Sanflippo Road, a gunshot was heard. As troopers and officers converged on the car, the passenger, a 35-year-old male, was found deceased in the passenger's seat with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The driver, a 31-year-old female of Greenwood, was unharmed in the incident and was taken into custody without further incident. No charges have been filed on the female at this time.

The Delaware Division of Forensic Science responded to the scene and removed the body to conduct an autopsy to determine the exact cause and manner of death. Foul play is not suspected and the incident is being investigated as an apparent suicide at this time. State Police Detectives are working with Milford Police Department and continuing their investigation into this incident.