A Trooper is lucky to be alive today and police have arrested a Lewes man after he crashed his vehicle into a pole and then fled the scene.

LEWES: Police say that Dale Thaxton, 59, was operating a 2011 Kia Sorento on Camp Arrowhead Road in the area of Angola Road around 3:00 p.m. Tuesday March 7, 2017 when Thaxton drove off the roadway and struck a utility pole causing damage to the pole and his vehicle. Thaxton was then able to free his vehicle from the wreckage as a trooper arrived on the scene. The Trooper, who was standing in the roadway next to a fully marked patrol vehicle with emergency lights activated, attempted to get the operator to stop his vehicle.

According to police spokesman, Gary Fournier, Thaxton drove directly at the trooper, who was able to move out of the way without being struck, and then continued into Angola Neck Park with the trooper following close behind. Thaxton parked his vehicle in the driveway of his residence, located in the 22000 block of Cypress Drive, and walked to the front door where the trooper attempted to take him into custody. A brief struggle ensued and Thaxton was able to enter his residence where he continued to resist until he was subdued with a divisionally issued Taser.

Dale Thaxton was transported Beebe Healthcare where he was treated for minor injuries he sustained in the collision and released. He was then taken to Troop 7 where he was charged with 3rd Offense Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol (two previous convictions; 11/21/90 and 04/21/97), Disregarding a Police Officer’s Signal, Leaving the Scene of a Property Damage Collision, Reckless Endangering 1st, Resisting Arrest with Force, Offensive Touching of a Law Enforcement Officer, and various other traffic and criminal related offenses. He was arraigned at JP2 and committed to Sussex Correctional Institution on $13,353.00 secured bond.

No photo is available of Thaxton at the time of this release.