HARBESON, DELAWARE (6/25/2018) A 32-year-old man on a bicycle being pursued by Delaware State Police died in a crash with a trooper’s patrol vehicle east of Harbeson, authorities said.
The crash was reported at 12:22 p.m. Saturday on Fisher Road south of U.S. 9 (Lewes-Georgetown Highway).
The man was later identified as Richard M. Talbot, 32, of Milton.
“Patrol units from Delaware State Police Troop 7 were actively searching for a burglary suspect reported to be a white male on a bicycle with a thin build, approximately 20 to 30 years old, in the area of the Lazy Lake and Hunters Mill Estates communities. Recent video surveillance of a burglarized residence supported the description information,” Sgt. Richard Bratz said.
A trooper, northbound on Fisher Road in a marked 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe SUV police vehicle, saw a man riding a bicycle southbound matching the suspect’s description, Bratz said.
“The trooper turned around and activated the emergency lights and siren in an effort to get the subject to stop however he refused and continued to travel southbound on Fisher Road. The trooper ordered and directed verbal commands toward the suspect to stop. The suspect ignored numerous verbal commands and continued to flee. As the pursuit of the suspect continued the two vehicles were involved in a collision,” according to Bratz.
Talbot was taken by ambulance to Beebe Healthcare’s hospital in Lewes, where he was pronounced dead.
The 28-year-old trooper was wearing a seat belt and was not injured, Bratz said.
The trooper has been employed by the Delaware State Police for four years and is assigned to Troop 7 patrol in near Lewes. He has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
Fisher Road south of Lewes-Georgetown Highway was closed in the area of the crash for about four hours as police investigated.