Delaware state trooper-involved death of suspect on bike ruled accidental

The death of a burglary suspect during a crash with a state police vehicle chasing him has been ruled an accident, according to the state Department of Justice.

Richard Talbot, a 32-year-old Milton resident, was fatally injured June 23 when the trooper collided with him on a narrow road south of Milton. State police said Talbot ignored the trooper's commands to stop.

State Justice Department spokeswoman Julia Lawes said the death was found to be "an unfortunate accident and not an intentional use of deadly force."

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No criminal charges were filed against the trooper, a four-year state police veteran.

The trooper was put on administrative leave following the crash, a typical practice after a law officer is involved in a death, but later was reinstated and returned to full duty. 

On June 23, the trooper spotted Talbot on Fisher Road while looking for a burglary suspect with a description similar to Talbot's appearance, according to state police. 

State police said they recovered stolen electronics from Talbot's body after the crash with the trooper's marked Chevy Tahoe.

Talbot had a history of local burglary convictions.

The trooper had his emergency lights and sirens on, state police said. 

Lawes said the collision happened in an area adjacent to the roadway where the surface turned from tightly compacted asphalt to loose, medium-seized stone gravel on a 10-inch downward slope.

A reconstruction of the crash determined the bicycle slowed when it started traveling through the stone gravel while the trooper's vehicle accelerated briefly due to the slope, she said.

The trooper pressed on the brakes, but was unable to stop and the left front bumper of his vehicle hit the rear tire of the bike, Lawes said. After the collision, Talbot and the bike fell down and were run over by the trooper, Lawes said.

The trooper was driving at about 13 mph. The chase lasted less than a minute. 

Talbot's family issued a statement through email after his death.

"He battled his addiction right along with his demons, trying hard to escape them all," the email read. "He loved fishing, it was his other passion besides his child and his art. It was on the water he felt calm and peaceful. Please understand, we do not want Richie Talbot to be remembered as a suspect fleeing police, he was so much more."

Kenny Schwartz, who's married to Talbot's grandmother and describes the man as his adopted son, said they learned the death investigation was over through news reports.

"It was a preventable accident. It wasn't intentional, but it shouldn't have happened," he said.

Contact Adam Duvernay at (302) 319-1855 or aduvernay@delawareonline.com

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