A Delaware man - who was a patient at Christiana Hospital - has been arrested for felony assault and additional offenses after police said he stole a vehicle and ran over a hospital staff member before fleeing on foot.
According to Delaware State Police, on Saturday around 8:12 a.m., troopers responded to Christiana Hospital in Newark after receiving a report that a patient had fled from the hospital in a stolen vehicle following a hit-and-run crash.
Upon arriving, police said troopers learned the suspect - now identified as Larry Kelley, 36 of Newport, Delaware - was a patient in the Christiana Hospital Emergency Department.
Police said that they learned Kelley had become increasingly aggressive and ran out of the hospital. Multiple ChristianaCare Constables tried to stop him, but he was able to get inside an unoccupied and unserviced SUV that was sitting in front of the emergency department's entrance.
Get top local stories in Philly delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC Philadelphia's News Headlines newsletter.
Kelley then proceeded to strike a constable with the stolen SUV and drove over him as he fled out of the parking lot towards Churchmans Road, according to police. The constable was treated at the hospital for serious injuries.
A short time later, police said troopers found the stolen SUV abandoned in the area of East Newport Pike and Forest Drive and learned that Kelley had fled on foot.
Troopers, with the assistance of officers from the Newport Police Department, were able to find Kelley attempting to enter a house on Maple Road, police said. He was taken into custody without incident.
Police said Kelley was first medically cleared from the hospital before he was taken into custody.
Further investigation revealed that Kelley does not have a valid driver's license, according to police.
Kelley was charged with assault 2nd degree, theft of a motor vehicle, theft under $1,500, resisting arrest, criminal trespass, driving without a valid license and additional traffic violations.
Sign up for our Breaking newsletter to get the most urgent news stories in your inbox.
