2 killed & 28 injured in impaired driving related crashes

Dover – This holiday season should be filled with joy and happiness but unfortunately, nearly 30 families have already experienced the heart ache of learning that their loved ones have been injured or killed in an impaired driving related crash.  According to police reports, since the Thanksgiving holiday, there have been 33 impaired driving related crashes that resulted in twenty (28) persons injured and two (2) persons killed.  Subsequently, 28 green light bulbs and 2 red light bulbs will be added to the DUI Victims Trees located in Beebe Hospital, Kent General Hospital, A.I. Dupont Hospital, Dover Downs employee cafeteria, and online at www.DUIRealTime.com/SafeHolidays . These will be the first colored bulbs placed on the trees since the start of the Safe Family Holiday Campaign which began on November 21st.

The DUI Victims Tree project memorializes impaired driving related deaths and injuries that occur during the campaign period by placing colored light bulbs on the tree to represent each victim.  Each red bulb on the tree symbolizes someone killed in an impaired driving related crash in Delaware between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve.  Each green light bulb symbolizes someone injured in an impaired driving crash.  Last year, two people were killed and 27 injured in these crashes in Delaware during the holiday season.

DUI saturation patrols will continue throughout the entire holiday season and will supplement already scheduled Checkpoint Strikeforce DUI Checkpoints.  Last weekend 8 people were arrested for DUI as part of Checkpoint Strikeforce.  This brings the total campaign DUI arrests to 305, however there have been 4,511 DUI arrest made in Delaware since January 1^st.

There is one checkpoint scheduled to occur this weekend as follows:

Friday December 7^th Newport (New Castle County DUI Task Force)- checkpoint

Currently, 42 (or 40%) of the 106 people killed in Delaware traffic deaths since January 1^st have been alcohol-related. You can prevent alcohol-related crashes by being a HERO – Be a Designated Driver, or make sure you appoint one before you go out for the evening if you plan to drink alcohol.

For more information on these or any of our other campaign efforts follow us on Twitter @DEHighwaySafe, visit our website for updates at www.ohs.delaware.gov, www.DUIRealTime.com/SafeHolidays or Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ArriveAliveDE.

DOVER – Tickets are now available for the 42nd annual Agricultural Industry Dinner on Jan. 24 at Dover Downs Hotel & Conference Center. Reservations and payments must be received by December 30.

Sponsored by the Delaware Council of Farm Organizations, the event began in 1971 as a way to celebrate Delaware farmers and honor our agricultural heritage. Secretary of Agriculture Ed Kee will also present the Secretary’s Award for Distinguished Service to Agriculture.

Tickets are $60 per person and $550 for a table of 10. The evening begins with a reception at 5 p.m. and dinner at 6:30 p.m.

Registration forms are available at http://dda.delaware.gov; from the Delaware Council of Farm Organizations, P.O. Box 986, Dover, DE 19903; or from Mark Davis (mark.davis@delaware.gov) or Lisa Wildermuth (lisa.wildermuth@delaware.gov) at the Department of Agriculture. Individuals, organizations or companies interested in sponsorships can find out more on the registration form. For more information, call (302) 698-4503 or (302) 698-4501.

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Contact:
Dan Shortridge
Chief of Community Relations
Delaware Department of Agriculture
(302) 698-4520

Dover, DE – Delaware law enforcement recently concluded the first wave of their tough new high visibility distracted driving enforcement campaign, Phone in One Hand. Ticket in the Other., and the results are in.

The Office of Highway Safety announced today that between November 7th and 20th, 1,830 drivers were stopped and given distracted driving citations.

“The State issued a total of 1,830 citations during this distracted driving enforcement initiative. We are particularly proud of our law enforcement partners throughout the State who joined with us to send a strong message about the dangers of distracted driving and for the excellent job they did in protecting the citizens of this State. Some police agencies including Greenwood, Newport, Oceanview and Smyrna made an average of more than one arrest an hour,” said Lewis D. Schiliro, Secretary of Safety and Homeland Security.

Even with the success of the first distracted driving campaign, not everyone observed the strong warnings.  The Delaware Office of Highway Safety and all Delaware law enforcement agencies plan to continue their efforts to reduce distracted driving.

“As we complete our first wave of Phone in One Hand. Ticket in the Other., we are beginning to see our message get through to Delaware drivers,” said Jana Simpler, Director of the Delaware Office of Highway Safety. “But we are committed to saving lives on Delaware roadways, and drivers should expect to continue to see us enforcing distracted driving laws time and time again.”

The Phone in One Hand. Ticket in the Other. is a year-long enforcement campaign to reduce distracted driving on Delaware’s roadways. The next special enforcement wave will be conducted in 2013.

Distracted driving consists of any non-driving activity a person engages in that has the potential to distract him or her from the primary task of driving.

Nationally in 2010, 3,092 people were killed, and an estimated 416,000 others were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving a distracted driver.

For more information on distracted driving, please visit www.distraction.gov/delaware.

Wilmington – The investigation of the July 8, 2012 shooting that killed two innocent victims during a community soccer tournament in Wilmington’s Eden Park has resulted in the criminal indictment of members of a street gang for murder, attempted murder, and other crimes, Attorney General Beau Biden announced at a press conference at the Park today.

Biden, joined by Wilmington Police Chief Michael Szczerba, homicide prosecutors from the Delaware Department of Justice, and detectives from the Wilmington Police Department, announced that the investigation of the Eden Park killings discovered a link between the suspects and a Wilmington street gang known as the “SureShots.”   The investigation revealed an escalation of violence involving SureShots members beginning with drug-related crimes in 2003, continuing with firearms offenses, and including a connection to a 2008 Wilmington homicide. 

“We’re leaving no stone unturned to identify and hold accountable all of the individuals who committed and contributed to this senseless and violent attack that claimed innocent lives and terrorized an entire community,” Attorney General Biden said.  “Thanks to the hard work of members of my staff and the Wilmington Police Department, we’re an important step closer to taking down a dangerous gang and protecting our neighborhoods.”

The Attorney General’s office secured the 24-count indictment on October 22, 2012 charging 22 year-old Jeffery Phillips and 36 year-old Otis Phillips with two counts of Murder 1st Degree, one count of Attempted Murder, four counts of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony, and one count of Reckless Endangering for the shooting in Eden Park of 16-year-old Alexander Kamara of Pike Creek and 47-year-old Herman Curry of New Castle, who both died from gunshot wounds they received.  Both defendants have been held without bail since they were taken into police custody the day of the crime. In addition, the indictment charges SureShots members Kelmar Allen, Roland Phillips, and Seon Phillips with Conspiracy for their involvement in promoting and facilitating the Eden Park shooting.

“Our thoughts remain with families of the victims,” Wilmington Police Chief Michael Szczerba said.  “On behalf of the Wilmington Police Department, we will continue to work with the Attorney General’s Office to represent the victims in this case in pursuing full justice in their memory.” 

The indictment also charges Otis Phillips with Murder 1st Degree and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony for the January 27, 2008 shooting death of Christopher Palmer in Wilmington and for Assault and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony in connection with a May 5, 2007 shooting that occurred outside a club in Wilmington.  An arrest warrant had previously been issued for Phillips’s arrest in Palmer’s death and he was a fugitive for that crime at the time of the Eden Park shooting.  Phillips had failed to appear for trial on the 2007 shooting and was a wanted fugitive in that case at the time of the Eden Park shooting.

The October 22 indictment also charges ten SureShots members with Delaware’s innovative Gang Participation charge.  Under Delaware law, when prosecutors and police demonstrate that defendants are participants in a criminal street gang and present evidence showing patterns of crime committed by gang members over a period of time, the gang participation charge subjects defendants to enhanced criminal penalties.  The indictment charges SureShots members with a range of crimes between July, 2003 and September, 2012, including murder, attempted murder, drug trafficking, drug dealing, assault, firearm offenses, and receiving stolen property.

The defendants and charges are as follows:

Otis Phillips (age 36) – Remains incarcerated without bail since he was taken into custody on 7/8/12.  The indictment charges Phillips with three counts of Murder 1st Degree, six counts of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony, and one count each of Attempted Murder, Assault, Reckless Endangering, Conspiracy, and Gang Participation.

Jeffery Phillips (age 22) – Remains incarcerated without bail since he was taken into custody on 7/8/12.  The indictment charges Phillips with two counts of Murder 1st Degree, four counts of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony, and one count each of Attempted Murder, Reckless Endangering, Conspiracy, and Gang Participation.

Other SureShots members and their charges include:
Kelmar Allen (age 23) – Arrested following the indictment on 11/07/12 and charged with one count of Gang Participation and one count of Conspiracy 1st Degree.  Remains incarcerated in lieu of $100,000 cash bail.

Jamel Chapman (age 32) – Arrested following the indictment on 11/18/12.  Was charged with 1 count of Gang Participation and released on bail.

Maria Dubois (age 35) – Arrested following the indictment on 11/21/12.  Was charged with 1 count of Gang Participation and released on bail.

Mahary Goode (age 34) (aka Mahari Campbell) – Indicted with one count of Gang Participation.  Remains a fugitive – a warrant for Goode’s arrest remains active.
Levar Graham (age 29) – Arrested following the indictment on 11/08/12.  Was charged with Aggravated Possession, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony, Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited, Receiving Stolen Firearm, Receiving Stolen Property, and Gang Participation, and released on bail.

Seon Phillips (age 35) – Arrested following the indictment on 11/08/12.  Was charged with Conspiracy First Degree, Carrying a Concealed Deadly Weapon, Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited, and Gang Participation.  Remains incarcerated in lieu of $100,000 cash bail.

Roland Phillips (age 32) – Charged after the indictment (was already incarcerated on unrelated charges) with Conspiracy First Degree, Carrying a Concealed Deadly Weapon, Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited, and Gang Participation.  Remains incarcerated on $100,000 cash bond.

Michael Watson (age 38) (aka Michael Young) – Indicted with one count of Gang Participation.  Remains a fugitive – a warrant for Watson’s arrest remains active.

The criminal indictment was initially sealed so that arrests of the defendants could be secured.  The indictment was unsealed yesterday.  The criminal investigation of this case continues.  Wilmington Police urge members of the public who have information about the crimes to contact Detective Thomas Curley at 302-576-3625, Detective Peter Leccia at 302-576-3647, or Detective Randall Nowell at 302-576-3632.

The Delaware Department of Justice reminds the public that an indictment is merely an allegation and is not evidence of guilt.  Defendants are presumed innocent and are entitled to a jury trial at which the state bears the burden of proving each charge beyond a reasonable doubt.

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DOVER – Delaware’s farmers’ markets sold nearly $2 million in fresh produce and other goods this season, a new record for the rapidly-growing community-run market program, according to the Delaware Department of Agriculture.

“Our farmers’ markets are a great symbol of how communities can shape their local economy and support our farmers and businesses,” said Gov. Jack Markell. “My family enjoys many items from Delaware farms and farmers’ markets, and is happy to join in celebrating this banner year.”

The 29 markets sold $1.96 million worth of goods during the 2012 season, with produce making up 57 percent of the total sales, or $1.1 million. Other sales included value-added products, such as meats, cheeses, jellies, breads, salsa, eggs or honey.

The record sales figures and the record number of markets this year show that Delaware agriculture has a strong place in the hearts of residents, said Secretary of Agriculture Ed Kee.

“Farmers’ markets benefit both farmers and consumers by bringing neighbors together,” Kee said. “Those connections are stronger this year than ever before, thanks to a growing interest in local foods and healthy eating, and we want to help forge more of those bonds in the future.”

The 2011 season featured 16 market sites and brought in about $1.8 million, with the 2010 season featuring 14 sites and $1.3 million in sales.

This year also saw the launch of a pilot project offering Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card transactions this year at two markets, allowing families to purchase local produce and food items as part of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. That initiative offered transactions at the Cool Spring and Village Fresh markets, both in Wilmington. Several other markets are considering expanding into the program in 2013.

The farmers’ markets are supported and coordinated by the Delaware Department of Agriculture, but are funded and hosted by local groups, organizations and municipal governments.

Farmers and others interested in becoming a vendor, or community groups interested in starting a local market, can contact Department of Agriculture marketing specialist David Smith at (302) 698-4522 or davidm.smith@delaware.gov.

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Contact:
Dan Shortridge
Chief of Community Relations
Delaware Department of Agriculture
(302) 698-4520