MIDDLETOWN, Del. — Delaware State Police arrested Charles Smedley, 47, of Wilmington on Wednesday after he allegedly caused a disturbance at a construction site while armed with a weapon resembling a machete. The incident occurred at approximately 2:10 p.m. near Pennfield Drive and Port Penn Road.
According to police, Smedley, a former employee at the site, got into an argument with a 24-year-old former co-worker after being fired. The confrontation escalated when Smedley pushed the victim into a piece of construction equipment, leading to a physical altercation. Afterward, Smedley retrieved a large sharp object from his truck and approached the victim in a threatening manner before being stopped by other workers.
Responding troopers conducted a traffic stop as Smedley attempted to leave the scene in a Chevrolet truck. Troopers noted multiple signs of impairment, including the odor of alcohol. A search of the vehicle revealed a large metal object, empty alcoholic beverage containers, and several unopened ones.
Smedley was taken into custody and transported to Troop 9, where he failed field sobriety tests. Authorities also discovered that Smedley has two prior DUI convictions and is prohibited from possessing a deadly weapon due to a prior felony conviction.
He was charged with felony DUI, aggravated menacing, and weapon offenses. He was arraigned and committed to Howard R. Young Correctional Institution on a $50,000 cash bond.
