A former Dover councilman was arrested on Saturday after allegedly driving his truck intentionally into a Delaware Pride Parade organizer. According to police, the 90-year-old former councilman did not intend to commit a hate crime, but rather succumbed to road rage instead.
Around 8:15 a.m. on Saturday morning, former Dover councilman Reuben Salters was driving his pickup truck when he encountered a barricade blocking the street for the Delaware Pride Festival parade. Salters allegedly exited his vehicle in order to remove several cones blocking his path.
A 43-year-old event organizer attempted to stop Salters and informed him that he could not pass. Salters reportedly entered his truck and accelerated toward the event organizer, striking him, and injuring the younger man’s legs.
The former councilman continued to drive through the crowd before finally coming to a halt. Salters was arrested and charged with third-degree vehicular assault and a traffic offense for disregarding the cones.
According to Dover police spokesman Cpl. Mark Hoffman, Salters was released on his own recognizance. Although the victim suffered injuries to his legs, he was not hospitalized.
“This was probably more a case of road rage than anything,” Hoffman stated.
Salters served more than two decades on Dover’s city council before retiring in 2011. He currently remains out on bail.
COMMENTS