Felton Man Charged in Domestic Assault and Shooting at Police Officers west of Harrington

Harrington, DE – Troopers have arrested a Felton man after he physically assaulted his girlfriend and then led numerous police agencies on a search of nearby woods.

The incident occurred at approximately 2:40 p.m. Saturday after troopers and officers from Harrington Police Department responded to a residence in the 2000 block of Vernon Road. A 9-1-1 call was received from a 39 year old female reporting she had been assaulted by her boyfriend, Steven A. Tribbett, 29 of Felton who had pushed her down and then placed his knee across her neck cutting off her airway. The female was able to escape his attack by running outside the house and locking herself inside her automobile where she called police.

Upon the officers arrival, Tribbett had fled into some woods behind the residence. A state police K9 began a track of Tribbett, who, at one point, fired a single shotgun round in the troopers and officers direction. Troopers established a perimeter and continued to search the area for almost four hours with assistance from officers from Milton PD, Milford PD, and the Delaware State Police Aviation Unit, locating the shotgun used by Tribbett, before it was called off around 6:30 p.m.

After the police officers and troopers departed the area, another 9-1-1 call was placed around 7:45 p.m. advising Tribbett had returned. Units responded back out to the residence and were able to locate and apprehend Tribbett in a nearby trailer without further incident. He was transported back to Troop 3 where he was charged with three counts of Reckless Endangering 1st, Strangulation, and Resisting Arrest. He was also found to have two capiases out of Kent County Superior Court for Violation of Probation. He was arraigned at JP7 and committed to James T. Vaughn Correctional Center on $21,000.00 secured bond.