Delaware
Union Catholic grad from Clark killed in University of Delaware pedestrian crash
Raw Video: Newark police investigate ‘serious’ crash
Raw Video: Newark police investigate ‘serious’ crash
Police in Delaware have identified a pedestrian fatally struck by a motorcycle Tuesday as 18-year-old University of Delaware freshman Noelia Gomez of Clark.
Gomez was studying accounting and business management at UD, according to her LinkedIn profile. She graduated from Union Catholic High School.
UD’s president and vice president issued a statement Wednesday afternoon calling for the school to support one another.
Update: Delaware motorcyclist charged with killing Union Catholic grad from Clark, police say
“Incidents such as this are unimaginably tragic,” President Dennis Assanis and Vice President José-Luis Riera’s said in a statement. “We cannot express enough how sorry we are for the family, friends, and greater community as we are all so deeply shaken by the sudden loss of one of our own. Our hearts are very heavy today.”
Police said the motorcyclist was fleeing a UD police traffic stop just before midnight on Tuesday. The motorcyclist, whom police have not yet identified, “disregarded the police officer’s emergency lights and fled at a high rate of speed.”
As the motorcyclist sped away, they hit Gomez, who was crossing on West Main Street, just west of North College Avenue, in Newark. The driver was ejected, while the motorcycle continued on and hit four more pedestrians, causing non-life-threatening injuries.
The motorcyclist was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. As of Thursday afternoon, no charges have been filed.
Clark Mayor Sal Bonaccorso said the news of Gomez’s death is “devastating.”
“You send your child to college hoping for a great future for them, and then this happens,” said Bonaccorso. “It’s just so sad. How do you even explain it. You wake up in the morning and you don’t know what you’re going to get in the day, you really don’t.”
He said word that Gomez was the victim of the fatal crash was just beginning to spread around the town Thursday afternoon. He was unsure if any type of remembrance was being planned.
Bonaccorso said Gomez was the second Clark resident killed in an auto accident while attending the University of Delaware. In October 2011 Nicole Marzano, 19, soccer team captain and salutatorian of her high school graduating class, was a freshman at the Delaware state school when she was a passenger killed in a car accident in Pennsylvania.
For the past two years Gomez had worked as a part-time sales associate at Anthem style and gift boutique in Cranford. Store owner Corinne Ardente said Gomez left in July to travel before going off to college.
“She was a great worker,” said Ardente, who had heard about the motorcycle crash. “She was very dependable, she always had a great personality and a great disposition.”
Ardente had discussed the possibility of Gomez returning to work at the store during school breaks.
Send story tips or ideas to Hannah Edelman at hedelman@delawareonline.com. For more reporting, follow them on X at @h_edelman.
Delaware
Power outage number tops 13,000 in Delaware County as storm hits
Storms hit Saturday shortly before 3 p.m. in Delaware County with limbs down on lines, wires down, plus lightning strikes, and quickly nearly 8,000 PECO customers were without power.
There was an accompanying deluge as well in parts of the county, with many low-lying areas flooding. The power outage number continued rising to 10,365 by 3:10 p.m., and to over 13,000 by 3:30. By 4 p.m. that number began to decline.
The first lightning strike dispatch was to a house in the 100 block of Edgewood Avenue in Haverford Township, and crews were dispatched minutes later to the Five Guys on Town Centre Drive in Concord Township.
Crews arriving on both scenes reported nothing was evident, but they would investigate further, according to radio traffic.
Fire stations were also sent to a water rescue in the 2800 block of East County Line Road in Haverford. Police arrived first and reported that half the vehicle was underwater. The officer soon located the driver, who had gotten out and made it to safety, according to radio traffic.
Police, fire and ambulance dispatches continued rapid fire at 3:30 p.m. PECO was asked to respond to numerous locations. Numerous alarm calls were also received at the county communications center.
A National Weather Service-issued severe thunderstorm warning was in effect for eastern Delaware County until 3:30 p.m. There was also a flash flood warning for the same area until 6:45 p.m.
One rainfall measurement was available at 3 p.m. That was St. Davids, where 0.71 inch of rain was recorded in less than 45 minutes, eventual reaching eight-tenths of an inch.
The Philadelphia International Airport recorded 0.32 inch of rain.
Sunny skies were expected to dominate the weather for the workweek, with high temperatures rising into the 90s on Wednesday and likely to stay there at least through Friday.
Delaware
New information on “sophisticated cybercriminal attack” against Delaware County
Saturday, July 11, 2026 1:40PM
MEDIA, Pa. (WPVI) — There is new information about what is being called a “sophisticated cybercriminal attack” against Delaware County.
According to officials, hackers were able to gain limited access to the county’s network and some of the data stored on it.
They are working with cybersecurity experts to learn the extent.
The sheriff’s office, district attorney, libraries and county council have all been dealing with disruptions since the attack on June 26.
The county’s internal networks are now up and running, and work is still ongoing to reinstate external-facing county services.
Copyright © 2026 WPVI-TV. All Rights Reserved.
Delaware
Investigation underway after controversial traffic stop in Delaware
DOVER, Del. (WPVI) — Delaware State Police are investigating a controversial traffic stop making the rounds on social media.
The video shows a trooper forcing a woman out of her car, slamming her to the ground, punching and tasing her.
It happened on July 7, in Dover, Delaware.
But Delaware State Police say the video doesn’t tell the whole story. They released a statement to provide what they call necessary context and clarity.
State police say the woman, identified as 38-year-old Sierra Hopkins, was initially pulled over in the area of S. Bay Road and Lafferty Lane in Dover for having suspended tags, no car insurance, and no driver’s license.
She was issued citations and let go, but then stopped again minutes later by the same trooper on E. Lebanon Road, who decided to follow protocol and have her car towed.
State police say he did this because Hopkins had been cited for the same violations five days earlier.
Things quickly escalated during this stop, with police stating she refused to leave her car, resisting, kicking and scratching the trooper in the face.
It all happened while several juveniles were in the car.
“This is such a vulnerable and tender moment… I’m sure her children were present, which brings another cause of concern because that’s trauma,” said Fleur McKendell, President of Delaware NAACP State Conference.
McKendell says her organization is pushing for a full and thorough investigation.
“It’s really deeply concerning. It’s evoked a lot of strong emotions from myself, my organization, as well as the public. I think it’s important to understand the full context of the content we have viewed before reaching conclusions, so I’m very eager to review available video footage and the circumstances that preceded and occurred during that incident,” says McKendell.
Delaware Governor Matt Meyer is also weighing in on this confrontation.
He released the following statement to Action News:
“Every law-enforcement officer is entrusted with a duty to protect, to serve, and to uphold the dignity and rights of every person, in every community. Policing relies on trust. That trust is not automatic; it is earned every day through mutual respect, integrity and transparency. The people of Delaware deserve transparency, and this administration will not turn away from that responsibility.”
Hopkins was later charged with assault of a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest; driving without a license, endangering the welfare of children and other registration violations.
State police did not mention the current status of the trooper.
Copyright © 2026 WPVI-TV. All Rights Reserved.
-
Detroit, MI37 seconds agoPhillies end the Tigers’ winning streak at 6 with a 4-2 victory
-
San Francisco, CA9 minutes agoGiants select Barry Bonds’ nephew Peyton in third round
-
Dallas, TX16 minutes agoMark Cuban takes legal action against the Dallas Mavericks ownership over proposed arena deal
-
Miami, FL19 minutes agoSouth Florida businesses report economic boom, as FIFA officials estimate a billion dollar economic impact
-
Boston, MA24 minutes agoForecast: Looking ahead to toasty temps next week
-
Denver, CO31 minutes agoDenver weather: Warming trend continues this weekend and into next week
-
Seattle, WA34 minutes agoTech Investor Vinod Khosla to Acquire the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks for $9.6 Billion
-
San Diego, CA39 minutes agoEndo injury overshadows 2-0 Angel City victory over San Diego – Equalizer Soccer