Police: Firefly fan punches driver, steals van with employees inside

A Maryland man in Dover for Firefly Music Festival hit the female driver of a van and then stole it, with six passengers still in it, and drove it into a fence early Saturday morning, according to Delaware State Police spokesman Sgt. Richard Bratz.

At about 2:50 a.m. Saturday, a passerby contacted a trooper working traffic at Lot 18, north of Persimmon Tree Lane, police said, and reported a man had run into the side of a bus. As the two were talking, the trooper saw a white Ford van driving south down the gravel entrance to Lot 18, Bratz said. The van swerved, crashing into a fence and some brush before stopping, Bratz said. 

Troopers responded to the crash and, while checking on its passengers, learned the driver had stolen the van, Bratz said. Troopers tried to take the driver, Zachary O. Hamilton, 25, of Dickerson, Maryland, into custody as he punched at them and head butted a marked patrol vehicle, Bratz said.

Police said Hamilton had punched the female driver of the van after she left the driver’s seat and then stole the van while six employees of RMC Events were still in it. The employees in the van tried to stop Hamilton but were unable and sustained minor injuries, Bratz said.

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Hamilton was taken to Bayhealth Medical Center at Kent General Hospital where it was determined he was on drugs, police said. Hamilton was charged with carjacking, attempt to commit assault on a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest with force, criminal mischief over $5,000, six counts of reckless endangering second degree, assault third degree, criminal mischief over $1,000 and driving a vehicle under the influence of drugs.