Pennsylvania Man Arrested in Wilmington After Fleeing Police, Ditching Loaded Gun

Delaware State Police arrested a 40-year-old Pennsylvania man after he was spotted with bolt cutters near a Wilmington business, then fled on foot and discarded a loaded handgun. Joseph Hertkorn was prohibited from possessing firearms due to a prior violent felony conviction.

Delaware State Police have taken a 40-year-old Pennsylvania resident into custody on multiple firearm charges after a trespassing incident turned into a foot chase in Wilmington this past Sunday.

Joseph Hertkorn of Linwood, Pennsylvania, was apprehended following an incident that began around 4:30 p.m. on March 22, 2026, when a company located on the 300 block of Naamans Road contacted authorities. The business reported spotting a man through their security cameras wandering their property while carrying bolt cutters, expressing worry that he might attempt to break into their building.

A state trooper responding to the call found an individual matching the suspect’s description walking along Naamans Road near the business, carrying bolt cutters. The person was later confirmed to be Hertkorn. When the officer tried to stop him, Hertkorn ran away on foot, leaping over a fence toward a nearby home improvement retailer. While chasing the suspect, the trooper witnessed Hertkorn throw away a handgun.

Backup officers arrived at the scene, and Hertkorn was apprehended without additional problems. When searched, authorities found drug paraphernalia on Hertkorn, and officers later retrieved the loaded firearm from a wooded area close by. Police investigation revealed that Hertkorn was legally barred from having a firearm because of a previous violent felony conviction.

Hertkorn was transported to Troop 1, where he faced charges on multiple offenses, was processed by Justice of the Peace Court 11, and was sent to the Howard R. Young Correctional Institution with bail set at $44,600 cash.

The charges against Hertkorn include: Possession of a Firearm if Previously Convicted of a Violent Felony (Felony), Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited (Felony), Carrying a Concealed Deadly Weapon (Felony), Possession of Burglar Tools (Felony), Resisting Arrest, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Criminal Trespass Second Degree.