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Frankford man leads police on chase
By Stephanie Mojica
OC Today
What started off as a seemingly idyllic afternoon between an estranged couple ended in abduction, a high-speed chase, and an assault on a Berlin police officer.
On May 20, Frankford resident James R. Toppin, 37, was in Newark Station with his estranged wife, who was not identified. He got agitated and forced her to drive him to Delaware in her vehicle, said Berlin Police Chief Arnold Downing.
Before the day ended, Toppin was being held in a Sussex County jail without bond on 20 charges from the two-state chase, including kidnapping, false imprisonment, possession of deadly weapon in commission of a felony, four counts of second degree assault, and intentional injury to a law enforcement officer.
During the drive, which involved a reportedly impaired Toppin, he allegedly threatened his wife with a golf club. She finally escaped at about 5:41 p.m. when the car stopped at a red light on U.S. 113 and Bay Street in Berlin. She ran to officers, pointing out Toppin and her car. When police tried to stop him, he instead sped away and drove north on the highway.
Officers from Maryland and Delaware State Police, Worcester County Sheriff’s Department, and Selbyville Police soon joined the high-speed chase, which continued for 30 minutes, Downing said.
“We don’t know yet what he was on,” Downing said. “But drugs and alcohol were definitely involved.”
Once Toppin entered the Pepper Ridge MHP north of Selbyville, he lost control of the vehicle and jumped out of the car and ran into the woods. Berlin Police Sgt. J.D. Lawson tried to arrest him, and Toppin tried to start a physical fight with him, Downing said. Lawson completed the arrest, and turned him over to Delaware State Police.
At one point, there were seven officers from the various agencies after Toppin, along with many officers on the phones trying to deal with the situation, according to Downing.
Toppin’s long list of charges, issued by the Worcester County Bureau of Investigation and Delaware State Police, also include many traffic and criminal offenses, including driving while suspended, reckless driving and resisting arrest. His estranged wife was not injured during the abduction or escape.
More charges are expected, Downing said.
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