A father and son were charged after a vehicle ran over the foot of a Delaware Department of Transportation worker working to close the road following a homicide and crash in the Route 40 area.
On Friday at about 6:45 p.m., as troopers were dispatched to the area of westbound Pulaski Highway west of Salem Church Road in Bear.
Troopers learned that a pickup truck had run over a DelDOT worker’s foot. The DelDOT Worker, 45 of Bear, was not injured in this collision, since he was wearing steel-toed boots.
The worker was wearing a reflective vest while standing near his fully marked DelDOT vehicle with his emergency lights activated.
DelDOT put up a roadblock at this location to stop traffic from passing due to the investigation of a homicide a short distance away.
Troopers reported a 1997 Ford F-150 disregarded the roadblock at the intersection of DE. Rt. 40 westbound and Salem Church Road.
The Ford F-150 drove over the concrete median separating eastbound Pulaski Highway from westbound Pulaski Highway.
Ford began making a U-turn travel westbound on Pulaski Highway, which was inside of the blocked off area. DelDOT workers were attempting to stop the Ford, but its driver ignored their commands.
The victim attempted to get the attention of the driver, who was later identified as Jorge Figueroa, 53 of Newark. The DelDOT worker was in the roadway attempting to flag down the Ford.
Still, the vehicle began driving toward the worker, who ended up seeing the vehicle run over his foot. The victim tried to avoid being struck by the Ford, but the vehicle ran over his left foot. The victim was not injured.
The driver Jorge Figueroa screamed obscenities as he struck the DelDOT worker. The Ford truck continued traveling westbound towards Becks Woods Drive.
At that point, troopers reported the Ford made another U-turn at Becks Woods Drive where it fled eastbound on Pulaski Highway. A computer check revealed the vehicle was registered to Jorge Figueroa at an address of the unit block Sunny Bend, Newark, DE.
Troopers went to the Sunny Bend address to make contact with the driver.
Jorge Figueroa, the driver, immediately exited the driver’s side door and began moving toward the trooper in an agitated state. As the trooper exited his vehicle, he gave numerous commands for Jorge Figueroa to stop and get back into his vehicle.
Figueroa failed to comply and continued yelling obscenities at the troopers and began threatening gestures with his arms and hands. Figueroa was eventually taken into custody.
During the arrest of the driver, his son Jorge L Figueroa 2nd, 27 of Wilmington, exited the passenger side of the truck and began walking towards the trooper yelling threats.
The son was also arrested for his actions that directly prevented an arrest of Figueroa Sr.
Both were transported back to Troop 2 for processing.
Jorge L. Figueroa (driver) was arrested for Reckless Driving, Leaving the Scene of a Collision, Disorderly Conduct, Failure to have Insurance, Failure to Obey Authorized Person Directing Traffic, Failure to Provide Information at Collision, Failure to Obey a Traffic Device, Failure to Remain within a Single Lane, Driving Across a Median, Operation of Vehicle on Approach of Emergency Vehicles and Failure to Report Collision to Police. He was arraigned before Justice of the Peace Court #11 where he was released after posting $1,458.00 secured bond.
Jorge L. Figueroa 2nd (son) was arrested for Terroristic Threatening, Resist Arrest, and Disorderly Conduct. He was arraigned before Justice of the Peace Court #2 where he was released on $1,500.00 unsecured bond.
