Middletown, DE – Delaware State Police have arrested a 38-year-old Maryland man in connection with a fatal hit-and-run crash Thursday night that killed a Middletown E-Bike rider.
According to Delaware State Police, the collision occurred around 7:50 p.m. on October 30, 2025, on Middletown Warwick Road near Strawberry Lane. Investigators say a Chevrolet Equinox traveling north struck an E-Bike rider heading in the same direction. The impact threw the 62-year-old victim, from Middletown, onto the roadway.
The E-Bike rider was airlifted by the Delaware State Police Aviation Section to an area hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. His name has not been released pending family notification.
Police say the driver, identified as Francisco Mendez-Peralta, of Chestertown, Maryland, allegedly fled the scene. Investigators later found the Chevrolet on surveillance video and, with help from the Maryland State Police, located Mendez-Peralta in Chestertown.
He faces multiple felony charges, including Leaving the Scene of a Collision Resulting in Death, Failure to Report a Collision Resulting in Death, and Cars Involved in Death Remain at Scene for Police Arrival.
The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information or video footage is asked to contact Corporal K. Oakes at (302) 365-8483 or reach out to Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-847-3333.
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
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