A State trooper shot and killed a suspect during a traffic stop Friday afternoon near Marshallton.
Delaware State Police say the trooper was dragged by the suspect’s vehicle, forcing him to fatally shoot the suspect.
That suspect, identified as 30-year-old Adam Radcliffe of Wilmington, later died at a local hospital.
State Police say the trooper was attempting to conduct a traffic stop in the area of Farrand Drive and Hammond Place near Marshallton at about 4:30 Friday afternoon.
According to the State Police's preliminary investigation, the stop came after the trooper saw a burgundy Honda Civic strike a pole and drive erratically on Boxwood Road near Centerville Road. The car fled from the crash scene and the trooper followed. It was later seen in the Kirkwood Plaza Shopping Center off of Kirkwood Highway. When the trooper made contact with the driver, the car sped off, dragging the trooper, who was attached to the passenger side door. As the vehicle accelerated down the access road for Kirkwood Plaza, the trooper fired at suspect. The car then sped off down Farrand Drive into a neighborhood. Police found it off Hammond Place at the end of Farrand Drive where it drove through a fence into a small creek.
Troopers removed the driver and performed CPR before he was transported Christiana Hospital, where he died.
The 37-year-old trooper sustained non-life threatening injuries, and was treated and released from the hospital.
The Delaware State Police Homicide Unit continues to investigate. The trooper, who’s been with State Police for 11 years, has been placed on administrative pending the outcome of the investigation.
