Smyrna man, Dover Police officer wounded by rifle discharge during arrest

DOVER — A 22-year-old Smyrna man and Dover Police officer were both injured after a departmentally-issued rifle discharged during an arrest Monday, authorities said.

According to Dover Police spokesman Master Cpl. Ryan Schmid, the investigation began at 2:21 p.m., when members of the Dover Police Department’s Special Operations Response Team were attempting to contact Millard Richardson inside of a vehicle in the parking lot of the Sleep Inn Hotel. Officers were attempting to arrest Mr. Richardson as the result of a firearm and gang investigation and had information that he currently had a firearm, which he is prohibited from possessing, police said.

When officers contacted him, police said, Mr. Richardson attempted to drive away, causing his vehicle to hit a Dover Police vehicle. After causing the collision, Mr. Richardson continued to refuse to exit his vehicle, according to authorities.

Cpl. Schmid said officers broke the driver-side window to gain access to the car and due to the vehicle having dark window tint. During this time, police said, the rifle discharged.

Mr. Richardson and an officer both sustained injuries to their hands during this incident, police said.

Mr. Richardson was taken into custody without further incident and transported to Bayhealth Kent Campus for treatment, police said. He was in stable condition with a finger injury, police said

The officer involved was cut in the hand and also transported to Bayhealth Kent Campus and was treated and released, police said.

The exact cause of the injury to Mr. Richardson and the cause of the firearms discharge is currently under investigation by the Dover Police Criminal Investigations Unit and the Delaware Department of Justice – Division of Civil Rights and Public Trust, according to Cpl. Schmid.

There were two other individuals in the vehicle at the time of this incident; a 24-year-old male from Dover and a 21-year-old male of Smyrna. Both were uninjured.

Detectives obtained and executed a search warrant on the vehicle that Mr. Richardson was operating, police said.

Authorities said detectives located the following items as a result of the search:

• A loaded Black Polymer 80 .40 caliber handgun which was concealed between the driver’s seat and center console of the vehicle

• Over $1,000

• 219.6 grams of marijuana

• 56.7 grams of THC Wax

• 7 grams of marijuana edibles and oils

• A digital scale and other drug paraphernalia

• 15.5 doses of Xanax

Once Mr. Richardson is released from Bayhealth Kent Campus, police said, he will be charged with the following:

• Possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony

• Possession of a firearm or ammunition by a person prohibited (three counts)

• Possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance

• Carrying a concealed deadly weapon

• Criminal mischief over $1,000 but less than $5,000

• Resisting arrrest

• Possession of a controlled substance

• Possession of drug paraphernalia

Police said the officer involved in the incident is a 2 ½ year veteran of the Dover Police Department and is a member of the Patrol Division. Consistent with standard policy, the Officer has been placed on administrative leave, with pay, pending the outcome of the investigation, according to authorities.

Cpl. Schmid said the Dover Police Department will continue to investigate this incident in coordination with the Delaware Department of Justice – Division of Civil Rights and Public Trust and will provide additional details as they become available.