Two Philadelphia men wanted in connection with a stolen car crashing into a historic Newark, Delaware church have finally turned themselves in, more than a year and a half after slipping away from a hospital before detectives could arrest them. Kasim Coleman, 25, and Brandon Mayes, 22, surrendered separately to Newark Police this year, closing out a case that began in the early morning hours of January 13, 2025.
According to a Newark Police Department press release, the crash happened at St. John AME Church, located at the intersection of New London Road and Hillside Road in Newark. Officers first encountered the fleeing vehicle around 4:15 a.m. that day after responding to a report of trespassing at a car dealership on the 300 block of East Cleveland Avenue, according to First State Update. Newark officers attempted a traffic stop on the black sedan but discontinued the pursuit, only to later discover the car had slammed into the church.
Police confirmed the vehicle had been reported stolen out of Pennsylvania, First State Update reported. Both men inside were hospitalized after the crash, with one 24-year-old male suspect admitted in critical condition for head, pelvic, and leg injuries, and the second admitted in serious condition, per the same account.
Suspects Vanished From Hospital Before Arrests Could Be Made
Both suspects left Christiana Hospital before Newark Police could formally place them under arrest, triggering an 18-month search in Philadelphia and nearby areas, according to Fox 29 Philadelphia. Detectives searched for the two men across Philadelphia and nearby areas as warrants remained outstanding, the station reported. That search ended only when Mayes surrendered to police on August 18, followed by Coleman on August 31, both in Newark…