Governor John Carney has proclaimed May as Motorcycle Awareness Month and the Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV), in support of the Delaware Office of Highway Safety’s (OHS) Motorcycle Safety campaign, urges both motorists and motorcyclists to create a safer ride through education and awareness.

Motorcyclists of all skill levels, both novice and advanced can enroll in a DMV Motorcycle Safety Course. Beginner course benefits include professional training, 10% off your motorcycle liability insurance, exemption from taking the DMV road test and graduates automatically get a license to ride. Advanced course benefits include professional training and 15% off your motorcycle liability insurance.

Secretary of Transportation Nicole Majeski commented, “We continue to stress the need for increased safety awareness on our roads for all modes of transportation. With the arrival of warm weather, more motorcycles will be on the roads and over half of all fatal motorcycle crashes involve another vehicle. Regardless of how you choose to travel, safety should be everyone’s top priority.”

“Whether it’s your first time on a motorcycle or you’ve been riding for years, please enroll in one of our courses,” urged Director of the Delaware DMV Jana Simpler. “The combination of classroom and road training will not only make you a better driver but will also help reduce the likelihood of a mishap.”
For a list of available courses or enrollment details CLICK HERE, visit dmv.de.gov and search on motorcycle courses, e-mail motorcyclecourse@delaware.gov or contact the below for more information:

Beginner Rider Program
New Castle County – 302-832-5163
Kent County – 302-744-2658
Sussex County – 302-853-1030

Experienced Rider Program
New Castle – 302-862-5163
Kent – 302-744-2658
Sussex – 302-853-1030

In 2021, 24 motorcyclists were killed on a Delaware roadway. This year 3 motorcyclists have died. Even if you are not a motorcyclist, always look twice at intersections, don’t tailgate motorcycles, and eliminate distractions while driving. For more motorcycle safety tips visit https://www.youtube.com/user/delawaredmv. For information on all programs offered by the DMV CLICK HERE or visit DMV.de.gov and click on Driver Services.

In honor of Second Chance Month, the Delaware DOJ’s Community Engagement Unit is partnering with the Delaware Center for Justice and several community groups to host a joint job fair and expungement clinic at the Route 9 Library and Innovation Center in New Castle on Thursday, April 28 from 12 p.m. – 6 p.m. The fair, supported by charitable funding from Amazon, will also be available online via Zoom, though the job fair component will be in-person only.

“I’m grateful to our team in the Community Engagement Unit, the Delaware Center for Justice, Amazon, and all of our partners who have worked so hard to put this event together,” said Attorney General Kathy Jennings. “These kinds of opportunities help reduce recidivism and enrich our neighborhoods by helping people who have paid their debts to society get a second chance to build a healthy, lawful life.”

Guests will be able to connect with employers, meet with attorneys to review their eligibility for expungements or pardons, receive financial assistance with the record clearance process, create a resume, and access other services. Food and drinks will be provided.

In addition to participating as a hiring employer, Amazon is supporting this event with funding to two participating partners, the Delaware Center for Justice and Parents With Incarcerated Children.

“Amazon is proud to be a partner in this great event with Attorney General Jennings, the Delaware Center for Justice, and more,” said John Schwartz, General Manager of the Amazon Facility in New Castle. “We look forward to talking with participants about everything Amazon has to offer which includes a starting wage in line with our national average of $18 per hour, our Career Choice program, which provides fully funded educational opportunities and job training, and our comprehensive benefits package.”

Other community partners and service providers participating in the event include the Office of Defense Services, the Delaware Criminal Justice Information System, Delaware Volunteer Legal Services, Clean Slate Delaware, the ACLU of Delaware, and APEX.

While walk-ins are welcome, members of the public are strongly encouraged to pre-register to attend in-person or virtually at bit.ly/2ndchancesfair.

A piping plover forages along a Delaware beach in spring of 2020 /DNREC photo

Important Effort For Helping to Protect Endangered and Threatened Birds

Volunteers wanting to help protect Delaware’s beach-nesting birds, including federally-listed threatened piping plovers and state-listed endangered American oystercatchers, are invited to join a training session held from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, May 7 at the Cape Henlopen State Park Officers Club (Youth Camp III) Mess Hall located at 15099 Cape Henlopen Drive, Lewes 19958, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced today.

The volunteer training session, offered by the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife beach-nesting bird monitoring program, will begin with light refreshments and a slideshow presentation, followed by a discussion about the monitoring program and how volunteers can help to ensure that beach-nesting shorebirds are not disturbed while nesting and rearing their chicks during the summer months. Weather permitting, the group will finish the training session by venturing out to the Point at Cape Henlopen to look for piping plovers and other shorebirds likely to be feeding on the tidal flats. Birding scopes and binoculars will be available for use, but volunteers are encouraged to bring their own optics if they have them.

Volunteers are an important and valued component of the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife’s conservation efforts. Stationed on the boundaries of the bird nesting areas, volunteers explain to beachgoers the importance of closing sections of the beach to prevent human disturbance thus helping increase the nesting success of the birds.

Pre-registration for the training is encouraged, but volunteer walk-ups also will be accepted for training as beach-nesting bird monitors. Cape Henlopen State Park entrance fees will be waived for volunteers attending the training. For more information on the training, beach-nesting birds, or volunteer monitoring efforts, visit de.gov/pipingplovers or contact DNREC Coastal Avian Biologist Henrietta Bellman by emailing deshorebirds@delaware.gov.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities, and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife conserves and manages Delaware’s fish and wildlife and their habitats, and provides fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing and boating access on nearly 68,000 acres of public land. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov; Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov

Attorney General Kathy Jennings announced Friday that the Department of Justice charged 102 gun offenders and secured 279.5 total years in prison sentences on 67 gun convictions in the month of March.

“My first priority is combatting violent crime—particularly gun crimes,” said AG Jennings.  “Gun violence is a both a national crisis and a local one. In Delaware, guns are overwhelmingly the driving force behind violent crimes, and the strongest predictor that violent crime will turn deadly. This office has consistently prosecuted and convicted gun offenders at an extremely high rate, and we will continue to find and prosecute gun criminals and gun traffickers in every corner of this state.”

Other violent case highlights from March include:

Convictions

• State v. Aaron Garnett: Defendant was found guilty of Murder 1^st Degree, Endangering the Welfare of a Child (three counts), and Offensive Touching.  Garnett brutally beat and murdered his girlfriend, Naquita Hill, after a domestic dispute.  He then left Ms. Hill on the floor of her home and departed the residence on foot, accompanied by her young child and two of her nieces/nephews.  Someone saw Garnett offensively touch the older child at a local Wawa and called police.  Officers eventually found Ms. Hill’s body in her residence when they went to look for the children’s caregiver. Garnett will be sentenced at a later date.
• State v. David Fletcher: Defendant pleaded guilty to Murder 2^ndDegree and Possession of a Deadly Weapon During the Commission of a Felony after fatally stabbing his estranged wife after an argument. Defendant faces a minimum mandatory 17 years in prison; the State will argue for a 25-year prison sentence.
• State v. Alazhia Wilson: Defendant pleaded guilty to Manslaughter for the October 2020 killing of Tierra Herring in Wilmington. Sentencing will be held at a later date.
• State v. Pierre Carter Bailey: Defendant pleaded guilty to Gang Participation, Assault 1^st Degree, and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony and faces up to 10 years in prison.
• State v. Richard Haines: Defendant was found guilty of 77 charges connected to the sexual abuse of two young victims, including Attempted Rape 1^stDegree, Attempted Sexual Abuse of a Child by Person of Trust 1^st Degree, Rape 2^nd Degree (31 counts), Rape 4^th Degree (10 counts), Sexual Abuse of a Child by a Person of Trust 1^st Degree (5 counts), Sexual Abuse of a Child by a Person of Trust 2^nd Degree (8 counts), Unlawful Sexual Contact 1^st Degree (4 counts), Unlawful Sexual Contact 2^nd Degree (13 counts), Continuous Sexual Abuse (2 counts) and Endangering the Welfare of a Child (2 counts). Haines is pending sentencing and effectively faces multiple life sentences.
• State v. Diandre Willis: Defendant was found guilty of Stalking, Harassment, Rape 1^st Degree (two counts), Home Invasion Burglary 1^st Degree (two counts), Kidnapping 1^st Degree, Strangulation, Terroristic Threatening, Malicious Interference with Emergency Communications, Breach of Release (two counts), Act of Intimidation (two counts), Breach of Conditions During Confinement (two counts), and Bribing a Witness.  Willis faces a minimum of 34 years in prison as a result of the convictions.
• State v. Lavance Wilmore: Defendant pleaded guilty to Sexual Abuse of a Child by a Person in a Position of Trust 1^stDegree and Rape 3^rd
• State v. Korey Lackford: Defendant pleaded guilty to Strangulation and felony Breach of Release and faces open sentencing.
• State v. Jose Dominguez Medina: Defendant pleaded guilty to Strangulation and faces open sentencing.
• State v. RaeSheed DeShields: Defendant pleaded guilty to Assault 1^st Degree in a case where he accidentally shot his friend from the backseat of a car after handling the gun while impaired by drugs and alcohol.  Sentencing is deferred for the victim to provide a victim impact statement.  DeShields’ bail was revoked and he will face a minimum mandatory 2 year prison sentence.
• State v. Daniel Mopkins: Defendant pleaded guilty to one count of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony and one count of Reckless Endangering, and faces a minimum mandatory 3 year prison sentence, with a cap of 5 years.
• State v. Lamar Massas: Defendant pleaded guilty to Conspiracy 2^ndDegree, Possession of Ammunition by a Person Prohibited and Possession of a Weapon with a Removed or Obliterated Serial Number.
• State v. Daniel Gutridge: Defendant pleaded guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited and is scheduled to be sentenced in June.
• State v. Alvin Hines: Defendant was found guilty at trial of Resisting Arrest with Force, Offensive Touching of Law Enforcement, and Disorderly Conduct. Hines will be sentenced in May. Hines will also be sentenced for earlier convictions for obliterating a firearm serial number and being intoxicated with a firearm.
• State v. Patrick Foster: Defendant pleaded guilty to Aggravated Menacing after threatening a FedEx driver with a knife for blocking the roadway, then punching the driver in the face multiple times.
• State v. Lazaro Corrales: Defendant pleaded guilty to Drug Dealing Cocaine (Class C) and Conspiracy 2^nd Degree and faces open sentencing.

Sentences

• State v. Michael Scaggs: Defendant was sentenced to life plus 20 years for Rape 1^st Degree, Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Child, and Sexual Solicitation of a Child.
• State v. Qymere Maddrey: Defendant was sentenced to 23 years in prison for the August 2018 murder of Phillip Chapman.
• State v. Marquis Crews-Foster: Defendant was sentenced to 15 years in prison for Manslaughter and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony in connection with the February 2020 murder of Wade Hammond
• State v. Vincente Valencia: Defendant pleaded guilty to Drug Dealing (Tier 2) and was sentenced to 15 years. Valencia’s sentence will be suspended after 9 months to facilitate a transfer to federal custody, where he faces his third illegal re-entry charge. Valencia also faces homicide charges in Panama.
• State v. Aaron Tucker: Defendant was sentenced to 10 years in prison plus probation after pleading guilty to Unlawful Sexual Contact 1^stDegree (three counts) and Breach of Bond During Commitment.
• State v.  Kevin Miller: Defendant was sentenced to eight years in prison after pleading guilty to Assault 1^st
• State v. Aristeed Brooks: Defendant pleaded guilty to Drug Dealing (two counts) and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony and was sentenced to eight years in prison.
• State v. George Robinson: Defendant pleaded guilty to Drug Dealing and Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited and was sentenced to seven years in prison.
• State v. Derek Hopkins: Defendant was sentenced to eight years in prison, suspended to six years in prison plus probation, for felony Drug Dealing, felony Failure to Stop at Command, and numerous misdemeanor and Title 21 convictions.
• State v. Desidel Juarez-Diaz: Defendant pleaded guilty to Assault 1^stDegree, Reckless Endangering 1^st Degree, and Carrying a Concealed Deadly Weapon and was sentenced to five years in prison plus probation for shooting and injuring the father of his girlfriend’s child during a custody exchange.
• State v. Eric Brooks: Defendant pleaded guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited and was sentenced to five years in prison plus probation.
• State v. Amir Brundge: Defendant was sentenced to a total of four years in prison after pleading guilty to Reckless Endangering 1^st Degree and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony in connection with an incident in which multiple rounds were fired at a house; thankfully, nobody was hit.
• State v. Akim Gordon: Defendant pleaded guilty to Drug Dealing (Tier 3) and Conspiracy 2^nd Degree and was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison plus probation.
• State v. Deandre Christopher: Defendant was sentenced to 15 months in prison for Stalking and four misdemeanor offenses.
• State v. Oumar Keita: Defendant pleaded guilty to Aggravated Menacing after pulling a knife on bus driver and threatening to kill her. Keita, who is potentially subject to deportation, had served 11 months pre-trial and will be transferred to New York.
• Sate v. Nhyjee Evans: Defendant pleaded guilty to Possession of Ammunition by a Person Prohibited and was sentenced to nine months in prison plus probation.

New charges

• State v. Estella Maldonado-Quinones and Lindsey Maldonado: Defendants were indicted on charges including Child Abuse 1^st Degree and related offenses for the torture and abuse of their child.
• State v. Brittallia Semaan: Defendant was arrested and charged after a carjacking and fatal multi-vehicle incident outside of New Castle. On March 13, Semaan carjacked a Chevrolet Trax; Semaan struggled with the vehicle’s occupants, biting and ultimately hitting one of them non-fatally with the vehicle. Shortly thereafter, Semaan struck and killed Joseph Stanavich, who was walking on the shoulder of the road, then pulled into the parking lot of the SPCA on Route 9 and struck an additional victim, causing them back and neck injuries. Semaan then continued on Route 9, colliding with a Maserati at the intersection of Route 141 and Route 273 and disabling the Chevrolet. Semaan then took a Ford Explorer from a passerby who stopped to help, driving off with another occupant still in the vehicle. The Defendant later collided with another vehicle at Route 9 and Hamburg Road before being taken into custody.

ICYMI

• Former Dover Police Officer Pleads Guilty to DUI, Official Misconduct
• Human Trafficking Unit’s First Month Yields Three Illicit Massage Parlor Shutdowns, Felony Charges
• Three Men Sentenced in Connection With Operation Rise-N-Shyne
• DOJ Convicts Kent County Man of 77 Counts Related to Sexual Abuse of Children
• DCRPT Secures Guilty Plea, Two Indictments In Board Of Pardons Cases
• DCRPT Indicts Officer for Sexual Solicitation of a Child
• DOJ Seeks Public’s Assistance in Sussex County Sexual Abuse Case

The Delaware Office of Highway Safety (OHS) kicks off the riding season with its motorcycle safety awareness campaign from 4/23 – 5/8 in conjunction with the Governor’s Proclamation designating May as Motorcycle Awareness Month. OHS will be partnering with State and local law enforcement agencies to conduct statewide safety patrols to ensure motorcyclists and motorists are obeying traffic safety laws. Additionally, OHS is utilizing digital advertising, social media, public relations, and grassroots outreach to urge drivers and motorcyclists to share the road and be alert!

“Tragically, in 2021 there were 24 motorcycle fatalities in Delaware. This was the highest number Delaware has seen in over 40 years.” Said Jackie McDermott, Traffic Safety Program Manager, Delaware Office of Highway Safety, “We want to remind motorcyclists to make themselves visible, follow posted speed limits, use DOT-compliant motorcycle helmets and safety gear, and always ride sober. OHS wants to remind motorists that all road users have the right to be safe using Delaware roadways and motorcyclists along with pedestrians and bicyclists deserve safety and protection while on the road.”

One of the primary contributing factors to motorcycle fatalities is speeding.  In 2021, there were 226 Motorcycle crashes and 66 serious injuries in Delaware. Another primary factor is motorists turning left into the path of a motorcyclist. Motorcycle riders aged 20 – 29 accounted for 46% of all fatalities, with most crashes occurring between 3:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Alcohol impairment also plays a significant role in motorcycle-involved crashes accounting for 30% of fatalities.

NHTSA reports that nationally in 2020, there were 5,579 motorcyclists killed in traffic crashes, an increase from 2019 (5,044). In contrast, an estimated 82,528 motorcyclists were injured, a 2% increase from 83,814 motorcyclists injured in 2019. Motorcyclist deaths accounted for 14% of the total highway fatalities that year.

Research also shows that motorcyclists are significantly overrepresented in traffic crashes and fatalities each year. In fact, in 2020, per vehicle mile traveled, motorcyclists were about 28 times more likely than passenger vehicle occupants to die in a motor vehicle crash and were 4 times more likely to be injured.

Motorcyclists have the same rights to the road, and the same desire to Arrive Alive. OHS is partnering with local motorcycle suppliers and dealerships to spread awareness of safe riding practices and encourage riders to sign up for a state-approved Motorcycle Rider Safety Course.

Visit Respect the Ride – Arrive Alive DE for more information and to register for a motorcycle rider safety course.  

Safe driving and riding practices by all road users will help reduce the number of fatalities and injuries on our highways. While on the roadways keep the following tips in mind:

Tips for Riders

• Make sure you are properly trained and licensed: Follow state guidelines to receive the proper training and skills assessment to obtain a motorcycle license. Completing a motorcycle rider education course is a good way to ensure you have the correct instruction and experience it takes to ride a motorcycle and learn valuable resources to prevent a crash.
• Practice operating your motorcycle: Take the time to get accustomed to the feel of a new or unfamiliar motorcycle by riding it in a controlled area before hitting the open road.
• Check your motorcycle before every ride: Check your motorcycle’s tire pressure, tread depth, hand and foot brakes, headlights and signal indicators, and fluid levels before you ride.
• Ride responsibly: Obey traffic signals, signs, speed limits, and lane markings; ride with the flow of traffic and leave plenty of room between your bike and other vehicles; always check behind you and signal before you change lanes. Understand you ARE more difficult for motorists to see, and a motorist is probably not seeing things from a motorcyclist’s perspective.
• Be alcohol and drug-free: Alcohol and drugs, including some prescribed medications, negatively affect your judgment, coordination, balance, throttle control, and ability to shift gears. These substances also impair your alertness and reduce your reaction time.

Tips for Motorists

• Keep a Safe Distance: Allow more following distance, three or four seconds, following a motorcycle so the motorcyclist has enough time to maneuver or stop in an emergency.
• Check Your Blind Spots: Remember that motorcyclists are often hidden in a vehicle’s blind spot or missed in a quick look due to their smaller size. Always make a visual check for motorcycles by checking mirrors and blind spots before entering or leaving a lane of traffic and at intersections
• Look Before You Turn: Approximately one-half of all motorcycle crashes involve another motor vehicle. Nearly 40 percent were caused by the other vehicle turning left in front of the motorcyclist. Look and look again, move up and back in your seat to ensure you see past the blind spots.
• Give Them the Whole Lane: Allow the motorcyclist a full lane width. Although it may seem as though there is enough room in the traffic lane for an automobile and a motorcycle, remember the motorcycle needs room to maneuver safely. Do not share the lane.
• Just Be Nice: Share the road with motorcyclists and all road users. Motorcycles are vehicles with the same rights and privileges as any vehicle on the roadway.
• Remember, Your Vehicle Can Kill: More than half of all fatal motorcycle crashes involve another vehicle. Motorcyclists and other vulnerable road users are most ask risk for serious injuries and death. A motorcyclist will always end up on the worst side of a crash no matter “who” is at fault.

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Media Contact:
Delaware Office Of Highway Safety
Jason Coleman
jason.coleman@delaware.gov
302-744-2743 (office)
302-943-7293 (cell)