NEW CASTLE, DE — Delaware State Police arrested a New Castle man after troopers say he injured two officers during a traffic stop on North Dupont Highway Saturday evening. The encounter led to felony assault and related charges, along with allegations that the driver had an unregistered car, no insurance and a concealed knife inside the vehicle.
Police identified the man as 39-year-old Nolan Lewis. Troopers said both officers suffered non-life-threatening injuries and were treated at the scene, while Lewis was also treated for injuries before being booked at Troop 2.
Troopers stopped the Mitsubishi after noticing no plate displayed
According to Delaware State Police, the stop happened Sept. 19, 2026, around 7 p.m. Troopers were patrolling North Dupont Highway near Hessler Boulevard when they saw a Mitsubishi Lancer without a registration plate.
After stopping the car and speaking with the driver, troopers said they learned the vehicle was unregistered and lacked insurance coverage. Police also said Lewis had multiple active capiases from different Delaware courts.
Those court warrants became part of the reason troopers tried to take him into custody at the scene. The agency did not say what led to the capiases, only that they were active at the time of the traffic stop.
Police say Lewis fought officers as they tried to arrest him
Delaware State Police say Lewis resisted when troopers attempted to arrest him. During the struggle, he allegedly fought with the officers and damaged both a trooper’s personal property and state police property.
After troopers got him into a police vehicle, they say he kept kicking and caused damage to the vehicle as well. The confrontation ended with Lewis being secured and later transported for medical treatment.
The agency did not describe the exact sequence of the injuries, but it said the two troopers were hurt while trying to bring Lewis under control. Their injuries were described as non-life-threatening.
A large knife was found inside the car after the struggle
Troopers searched the Mitsubishi after the arrest and recovered a large knife that police say had been concealed inside the vehicle. That discovery added a weapons charge to the list of offenses Lewis now faces.
The police release does not say whether the knife was used during the fight, only that it was found after the search. The vehicle itself was also part of the investigation because troopers said it had no displayed registration plate, was unregistered and had no insurance.
Along with the knife, investigators cited multiple traffic offenses tied to the stop. Those issues were separate from the assault and resisting-arrest allegations but were included in the arrest summary.
Lewis and the troopers were treated for injuries after the incident
Both troopers who were involved in the encounter were treated and released at the scene, police said. Their injuries were not considered life-threatening.
Lewis was taken to an area hospital for treatment after the arrest. Once he was discharged, troopers brought him to Troop 2, where he was formally charged and arraigned by the Justice of the Peace Court.
Police said he was committed to the Department of Correction on a $7,000 secured bond, in addition to the active capiases already outstanding against him. Delaware State Police emphasized that anyone charged in the case is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
Felony assault, resisting arrest and weapons charges followed the stop
Lewis faces two counts of second-degree assault causing physical injury to a law enforcement officer, along with felony resisting arrest with force or violence that injured officers. He was also charged with carrying a concealed deadly weapon and criminal mischief over $1,000 for recklessly damaging property.
Police also listed multiple traffic offenses connected to the stop. The case now moves through Delaware’s court system, where the charges will be reviewed and any evidence from the stop, search and arrest can be weighed in the normal process.
Delaware State Police said the incident began as a routine traffic stop but escalated quickly once officers learned about the vehicle issues and outstanding capiases. The agency has not announced any further details about the confrontation.
How the Delaware arrest fits the state police account
The state police account describes a sequence that started with a missing license plate and ended with felony charges, injuries and a secured bond. It also shows how quickly an ordinary road stop can turn into a more serious law-enforcement encounter when officers uncover additional violations.
For now, the public record from Delaware State Police includes the charges, the injuries and the bond amount. Any final finding of guilt or innocence will be determined in court, not at the scene of the arrest.
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