Police: Millsboro man spits, punches, throws dirt on officers

A Millsboro man faces charges after police say he spit, punched and threw dirt at officers responding to a complaint Aug. 15.

Police went to a home in the 20000 block of Laurel Road at 6:34 p.m. about a criminal mischief complaint and tried to contact Aaron Wharton, 53, who was walking away from the home, said Sr. Cpl. Leonard DeMalto of the Delaware State Police.

Wharton ran from police and then threw dirt in the eyes of a trooper chasing him, DeMalto said. Wharton also punched the trooper in the face, injuring him, DeMalto said.

Wharton continued to struggle with officers at the scene. He kicked an assisting officer from the Selbyville Police Department and spit into the faces of two troopers, DeMalto said.

Wharton refused medical treatment and was transported to Troop 4, where he was charged with felony second-degree assault of a law enforcement officer, felony resisting arrest with force or violence, two counts of offensive touching of a law enforcement officer, two counts of offensive touching of another with a bodily fluid, and criminal mischief. He was arraigned at Justice of the Peace Court 3 and committed to Sussex Correctional Institution in default of $32,200 cash bond.