Man Flees After Forcing Victim In Vehicle, Crashed Into Fence 1-29-15

Complaint#:  50-15-2428     Date/Time:  Thursday, January 29th at 1:41AM
Location: 600 Block of North Governors Avenue

Narrative:
At approximately 1:41AM, on Thursday morning, officers from the Dover Police Department were dispatched to the 600 block of North Governors Avenue for a motor vehicle accident.  Upon arrival, officers observed a green Volkswagen Passat in the back yard of a residence, after it drove through a fence.  Police on scene learned that the driver (later identified as Matthew Stanford-51) had fled the vehicle on foot.  The passenger, a 29-year-old female, suffered several facial lacerations and was treated at Bayhealth Kent General Hospital.  Further investigation revealed that Stanford forced the female victim (who is an acquaintance) into the vehicle against her will and began driving recklessly and refused to let the victim out of the vehicle or slow his driving.  It was determined that the vehicle was traveling in excess of 80 miles per hour, which led to the collision with the fence as Stanford was unable to control the vehicle.  A short time later, officers located Stanford in the 300 block of West Division Street and attempted to contact him.  Stanford fled on foot from police but was arrested after a brief foot pursuit.

Stanford was charged with the following offenses:

• Unlawful Imprisonment
• Reckless Endangering
• Vehicular Assault
• Reckless Driving
• Resisting Arrest
• Several miscellaneous motor vehicle violations