Newark police investigating man who harassed, followed college woman

A University of Delaware student walking home to her dorm Wednesday morning was harassed and followed by a man for whom police in the area now are keeping a lookout.

It was around 2:30 a.m. on South Chapel Street in Newark when police say a small maroon SUV crossed paths with the student. The driver began yelling obscene things at her, causing the woman to quicken her pace onto campus, according to Newark Police Department Deputy Chief Kevin Feeney.

The incident became more alarming, Feeney said, when the student looked over her shoulder and found the man had left his vehicle and was following her on foot. She made it safely to her dorm and no further contact between them happened.

The student's description of the man was vague, Feeney said, beyond the color and type of vehicle.

University of Delaware Police and Newark Police both are aware of the incident, Feeney said. Patrols in that area generally are heavier this time of year as the weather warms and Spring Break ends, and he said officers will be on high alert because of this episode.

Feeney said there's no reason to suspect this incident is related to serial kidnappings of women from earlier this year or last week's abduction and molestation of a four-year-old girl from Plum Run Village.

Contact Adam Duvernay at (302) 324-2785 or aduvernay@delawareonline.com