While on duty, during the nighttime hours of Oct. 20, 1972, Cpl Paul J. Sweeney was seriously injured in a motor vehicle accident. On this date, November 30, 1972, Cpl. Sweeney succumbed to his injuries.
Cpl Paul J. Sweeney III was 26 years old and lived with his wife, Gail, and their two children – Gail, 4, and Paul John II, 3 – in the Roselle area near Elsmere.
A Salesianum School graduate, he was sworn as a county officer on July 7, 1968, serving as patrolman and detective. He was studying at what was then Delaware Technical & Community College for a police science degree.
Sweeney – promoted posthumously to corporal – was the first officer killed on duty since the force formed in 1911.
(Newark, De 19702) Last Saturday (Nov 27) officers from the New Castle County Division of Police Mobile Enforcement Team were able to conduct a traffic stop on a green GMC Yukon which was observed driving erratically.
When the officers approached the driver, 31-year-old Stephen Miller, they learned that neither he nor the passenger, 18-year-old Jakiem Jorgenson, were the registered owner of the vehicle. A small amount of marijuana was observed inside of the vehicle and the occupants were placed into custody.
The officers then contacted the registered owner of the Yukon and learned that it was dropped off at an automotive garage in Pennsville, NJ. Officers from the Pennsville Police Department were contacted and when they conducted a property check of the business, they found that it had been broken into. The officers also were able to list numerous tools that were stolen along with the Yukon. The tools listed were located in the back of the Yukon.
Both Miller and Jorgenson were taken back to police headquarters. Miller was charged with one count of felony Receiving Stolen Property Over $1500, one count misdemeanor Driving Without a Valid Driver’s License, a traffic violation for Failure to Yield Right of Way and a Civil Violation for Possession of Marijuana.
Jorgenson was issued a Civil Violation for Possession of Marijuana and released.
Miller was arraigned at Justice of the Peace Court 11 and held in lieu of $2003 secured bail. He is also pending extradition to New Jersey.
(Newark, DE 19702) Yesterday (Nov 22), at approximately 11: 15 a.m., patrol officers from the New Castle County Division of Police were dispatched to the 4000 block of Rosetree Lane in the community of Rosetree Hunt for the report of a burglary in progress.
When officers arrived at the scene, they observed what appeared to be forced entry to the residence and started a search of the area. At this time one of the patrol officers observed a subject, matching a description provided earlier by a witness, run into a wooded area. The officers gave chase and started a K9 track into the woods. During this track, detectives from the Criminal Investigations Unit Special Investigations Squad were in the area and were able to set up a perimeter. The subject was located walking down rt 40 and a second foot pursuit started. The subject, identified as 31-year-old Kesselee Kanda, was then apprehended near the entrance of Barrington.
Detectives from the Criminal Investigations Unit, Property Squad arrived and assumed the investigation. The investigation revealed that Kanda was not only responsible for today’s burglary but multiple additional burglaries. The investigators found Kanda responsible for an October burglary that occurred on the 2000 block of East Huntington in the community of Pinecrest and another burglary that occurred on the 100 block of McCann Road in Sycamore Gardens.
Kanda was transported to police headquarters and there he was charged with 1 count of Burglary 1st, 2 counts of felony Burglary Second Degree, two counts of felony Theft where Victim is over 62, one count of Felony Theft, 2 counts of misdemeanor Criminal Mischief, and two counts of misdemeanor Resisting Arrest.
He was arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 11 and held in lieu of $49,200 cash bail.
At the time of this news release, Kanda continues to be investigated for additional burglaries.
