Dewey Beach Police Arrest Motorcyclist Following High-Speed Pursuit; Second Suspect Sought
February 5, 2025/
A high-speed pursuit involving two motorcyclists on Coastal Highway led to the arrest of 20-year-old Thai Reese Hengel of Milton. The chase began after the Dewey Beach Police Department was alerted to a reckless driver operating a white motorcycle. The suspect reportedly displayed a handgun to an unidentified motorist in a green truck while traveling south of Dewey Beach in the Delaware Seashore State Park. Dewey Beach officers responded and located two motorcycles matching the suspect’s description. Upon attempting a traffic stop, both motorcyclists fled northbound on Coastal Highway at a high rate of speed, refusing to comply with officers’ emergency signals. Officers continued their pursuit across the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal Bridge and into the vicinity of the Rehoboth Outlets, where the motorcyclists continued to drive recklessly, committing multiple traffic violations. Hengel was apprehended near Sea Air Drive after attempting a U-turn, was charged with several offenses and was arraigned and released on his own recognizance. No firearm was recovered. The second motorcyclist remains at large, and police request information from witnesses at (302) 227-1110 or (800) TIP-3333.