A local driver faces felony charges after running a stop sign and causing a fatal late-night crash. Samuel Larkin, 42, of New Castle, sits behind bars following an arrest by Delaware State Police late Saturday evening.
The wreck happened around 10:50 p.m. at the intersection of U.S. Route 13 and Schafer Boulevard. Investigators say a 54-year-old woman was riding an Indian Scout motorcycle northbound in the right lane. At the same time, Larkin was driving a Mazda 6 westbound on Schafer Boulevard toward the highway.
According to state troopers, Larkin failed to yield at the stop sign before driving out into traffic. His car pulled directly into the path of the northbound motorcycle, causing a heavy collision right in the middle of the roadway.
Emergency crews responded to the scene and found the female motorcyclist with severe traumatic injuries. First responders transported her to a nearby hospital, where medical staff later pronounced her dead. Authorities are holding her name until family members are notified.
Troopers who spoke with Larkin at the scene noticed clear signs of impairment. Officers arrested him on the spot without incident and brought him to Delaware State Police Troop 2 to undergo Standardized Field Sobriety Tests.
Following those sobriety tests, troopers formally charged Larkin with second-degree vehicular homicide, driving a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, and failure to stop at a stop sign. He was arraigned by a Justice of the Peace and committed to the Delaware Department of Correction on a $5,101 secured bond.
Highway lanes remained blocked for three hours while the Troop 2 Collision Reconstruction Unit documented the scene. Investigator Master Corporal R. Kunicki asks witnesses or anyone with dashcam footage of the incident to contact police at 302-365-8417 or submit a tip through Delaware Crime Stoppers at 800-847-3333.
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