Wilmington Resident Arrested for Multiple Incidents of Illegal Dumping of Trash and Construction Materials

Trash and construction debris illegally dumped along Interstate 495 in Wilmington. Wilmington resident arrested following a Delaware Natural Resources Police investigation into repeated dumping in the area./ DelDOT photo

Delaware Natural Resources Police (DNRP) recently arrested a 47-year-old Wilmington resident following an ongoing investigation into illegal dumping of trash and construction materials along Terminal Avenue and Interstate 495 in Wilmington.

DNRP officers from the Environmental Crimes Unit worked with the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) and Delaware State Police to monitor the area where construction and household trash materials had been dumped on multiple occasions starting in May 2025.

Since then, DelDOT Maintenance and Operations crews have responded to 10 separate incidents of dumping of construction waste in the area, costing the transportation department more than 55 hours of employee time and in excess of $5,000 in landfill costs, according to a DelDOT spokesperson.

During the ongoing investigation, DNRP officers obtained the description of a suspect vehicle, a 2023 white Chevrolet pick-up truck, displaying a New York license plate. Further investigation led officers to the suspect's residence in Wilmington.

Warrants for their arrest were obtained for a number of charges, including:

• Four counts of Cause or Contribute to the Disposal or Discharge of Solid Waste Materials (Misdemeanor)
• Two counts of Transportation, Storage, or Collection of Solid Waste without Permit (Violation)
• Four counts of Criminal Trespass Third Degree (Violation)
• Failure to Register Vehicle in DE within 60 days of Residency

The suspect was arraigned in the Justice of the Peace Court 11, and released on their own recognizance, pending a future court appearance in the New Castle County Court of Common Pleas.

Last year, DelDOT and its partners collected 82,000 bags of trash and nearly 5,000 tires from roadsides, the spokesperson said. This costs the state millions of dollars in time and landfill costs each year that could be used for road maintenance and other priorities.

About Delaware Natural Resources Police
Delaware Natural Resources Police is a fully sworn police department with statewide authority to enforce criminal law, hunting, fishing, boating and environmental laws and regulations. DNRP ranks comprise three units: Fish and Wildlife, State Parks and Environmental Crime. They serve Delawareans on waterways and land, both public and private.

Media Contact: Lieutenant Rebecca Salmon, [email protected]

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