Troopers Arrest Richard Butcher for DUI, Drug, and Weapon Charges after Crash in Hartly
On Wednesday, Delaware State Police arrested 46-year-old Richard Butcher of Smyrna, Delaware, following a crash investigation in Hartly.
At approximately 12:41 a.m. on April 17, 2024, troopers responded to the Dover Scrap Yard in Hartly for a single-vehicle crash involving a silver 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan with Delaware registration. EMS found Butcher unconscious in the driver’s seat due to a drug overdose, but he regained consciousness after receiving Narcan. The subsequent search of the vehicle led to the discovery of multiple drugs and ammunition. Butcher’s suspended/revoked driver’s license and his status as a convicted felon prohibited from possessing ammunition resulted in charges, including Possession of a Controlled Substance, DUI, and illegal possession of ammunition. Butcher was later released on his own recognizance after being charged and arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 7 at Troop 3.
Butcher’s charges included Possession of Ammunition by a Person Prohibited (Felony), Possession of a Controlled Substance Tier 1 Quantity (Felony), Possession of a Controlled or Counterfeit Substance, Driving a Vehicle Under the Influence of a Drug, Driving While Suspended or Revoked, and Additional Traffic Violations.