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16 - CAPE GAZETTE, Friday, Aug. 18 - Aug. 24, 2000
DiDomenicis charged with DUI, leaving the scene of an accident
By Jim Cresson
An investigation continues into the cir-
cumstances surrounding an Aug. 13 hit-
and-run accident in Dewey Beach that re-
sulted in personal injury to a bicycle pedes-
trian, but Dewey police have.already
charged motorist Anthony DiDomenicis
with driving under the influence and leav-
ing the scene of an accident.
According to a police report of the inci-
dent, officers received a call at 1:30 a.m.,
Sunday, that a dark VW convertible had
struck a bicyclist, causing personal injury.
The report stated for all officers to be on the
lookout for the vehicle last seen proceeding
eastbound on Read Street. Officers re-
sponded and stopped the vehicle on Read
Street and took its driver, DiDomenicis, in-
to custody for leaving the scene of an acci-
dent.
DiDomenicis was then taken to Delaware
Stabbing
Continued from page 1
had minor injuries and Pecco,
whose injuries were clearly exten-
sive.
Via their hospital physician con-
tact at Nanticoke Memorial Hos-
pital, pararnedics declared Pecco
dead at the scene, said Tim Coop-
er, Sussex County Emergency
Medical Services public informa-
tion officer.
Charles Myhre of Pennsylvania
was renting a nearby condomini-
um and said he saw the two young
men police have identified as 18
and 22 years old standing outside
the residence at about 1:30 p.m.
At approximately 2 p.m., said
Myhre, he saw a man who ap-
peared to be the victim drive a car
to the residence.
"When he drove up, he spun the
wheels," said
Myhre, who
said he heard
and saw noth-
ing unusual af-
ter that time.
"He went
there inquiring
about a debt,
and a verbal ar-
gument began HARRIS
between the 22-year-old and the
victim," said Harris. "It became
physical." He said he believes the
knife appeared at about that time.
Police recovered a knife from
the scene. One theory Delaware
State Police Homicide Unit is pur-
suing is Pecco brought the knife
with him when he went to the res-
idence.
"A struggle ensued between the
22-year-old and the victim," said
Harris.
"The 22-year-old was able to
take the knife away from the vic-
tim, who was on top of him. He
then allegedly stabbed the victim
with the knife."
Harris declined to say what role
the 18-year-old may have had in
the incident.
Both men were transported to
Beebe Medical Center. One man
had a cut on his left hand; the oth-
State Police Troop 7 for a breath test for al-
cohol, but he allegedly refused the test. Ac-
cording to the report, he was then taken to
Beebe Hospital for a mandatory blood test
for alcohol.
Following the blood test results, which
police did not make public, DiDomenicis
was charged with driving under the influ-
ence.
Dewey Beach Police Lt. Gordon Elliott
said the investigation into exactly how the
accident occurred is still ongoing, and he
would not release any information on the
accident itself.
In a related event, Rehoboth Police offi-
cer Jason Bush arrested DiDomenicis
Thursday, Aug. 17, on three charges stem-
ming from incidents that occurred July 7.
In Bush's criminal report of the incidents
which occurred at 5:I0 a.m., Friday, July 7,
he stated DiDomenicis was charged with
er was treated for a laceration on
his right ankle, said Cooper.
Pecco's body was sprawled face
up in what appeared to be a hall-
way leading to the front of the
condominium. His head was
close to the front door. State
Medical Examiner Dr. Judith To-
bin said Pecco "died of massive
hemorrhaging - internal and exter-
nal - due to multiple stab wounds
and blunt force injuries."
Harris said he could not release
more information about the case,
including what role the 18-year-
old had in the incident, because to
do so could compromise the in-
vestigation.
Neither could he release the
young men's names because they
have not been charged with a
crime.
Police located and questioned a
16-year-old Lewes female who
may have fled from the scene be-
fore the altercation.
Late Obituaries
Pecco has drug history
Arkansas State Police arrested
Pecco Oct. 3, 1999, during a traf-
fic patrol on Interstate 40.
Pecco, who was traveling with
F_Award A. Freck, 20, of Bear, was
driving 20 miles under the speed
limit and the trooper who stopwxl
him noted Pecco's vehicle was
weaving.
During a consent search, the
trooper found 199 bottles of Ke-
taset pills in l0 milliliter doses.
Ketaset, also known as Keta-
mine or Special K, is a drug vet-
erinarians use commonly to anes-
thetize animals.
The drug has made its way to
the black market and is a popular
drug at rave Iarties.
The drug is in the same chemi-
cal family as phencyclidine hy-
drocholoride, or PCP. Pecco's
Arkansas possession-of-a-con-
trolled-substance charge was a
felony.
He was released on the $25,000
bond a bail bondsman paid Oct. 4.
His case was continued in May,
and he was scheduled to appear
for trial in an Arkansas courtroom
Monday, Aug. 21, 2000.
...... I III II I II
driving on Columbia Avenue and Rehoboth
Avenue with improper headlights, criminal
impersonation of another person in order to
obtain benefit and driving a motor vehicle
while his privileges had been suspended or
revoked.
DiDomenicis, 28, of Rehoboth Beach,
had pleaded guilty in Superior Court to
DUI in December, 1998, after being in-
volved June 13, 1998, in a chain reaction
accident in Dewey Beach that caused his
vehicle to hit pedestrian Aaron "AJ." Shep-
herd, seriously injuring him.
In a highly publicized trial in which
DiDomenicis faced the DUI charge as well
as a felony charge of first-degree vehicular
assault, the defendant was awaiting a jury
verdict when it was learned the Delaware
Supreme Court had handed down a ruling
the day before that stated some of the DUI
laws were vague and unconstitutional. The
ruling caused prosecutors in the attorney
general's office to wonder about the validi-
ty of their charges against DiDomenicis.
When prosecutors came to DiDomenicis
while the jury was out deliberating and of-
fered him a deal if he pleaded guilty to
DUI, he accepted.
The vehicular assault charges were
dropped, and under the first-offender's pro-
gram for DUI guilty pleas, DiDomenicis
was sentenced by Judge Henley Graves to
six months probation and 60 hours of com-
munity service.
An account of the trial reported that
DiDomenicis said he would fulfill the com-
munity service by speaking to young peo-
ple, possibly in drivers' education classes.
"I want to impress on them the impor-
tance of having only one or two drinks and
having something like this happen to
them," DiDomenicis said at the time.
Kerry Kester photo
Police from two agencies and officers of the court from the Delaware Attorney General's Of-
rice discuss their approach to investigating the death of Jesse Pecco, 22, of Rehoboth Beach,
that occurred Aug. 14, in a Port Lewes condominium. Shown are (l-r) David Hume, deputy at-
torney general; Chief Beau Gooch, Lewes Police Department; Jim Adkins, deputy attorney
general; Patrolman David Wardle, Lewes Police Department; Capt. Robert Hawkins,
Delaware State Police Homicide Unit; Det. Patrick Quigley, Lewes Police Department; Det.
Robert Hudson, Delaware State Police Homicide Unit; Sgt. John Evans, Delaware State Po-
lice Homicide Unit; and Det. Keith Marvel, Delaware State Police Homicide Unit.
Harry Lyons Fisher,
Lewes native
Harry Lyons "Leon" Fisher, 78, of Lewes, died at
his home on Aug. 16. He was a well-known, native
resident of Lewes who started his career at age 16 at
the Civilian Conservation Corps in the state of Wash-
ington. He later served in the merchant marines and
was a veteran of World War II, serving in the U.S.
Army. After the war, he served for several years as a
Lewes police officer and later retired from the Lewes
Post Office after 19 years of service.
He was a member of St. Peter's Episcopal Church
in Lewes, Jefferson Masonic Lodge No. 15 of
Lewes, a member of American Legion Post 17 of
Lewes, a founding member of the Cape Henlopen
Elks, a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign
Wars and a member of the National Association of
Retired Federal Employees Sussex Chapter 1690.
He is survived by Phyllis Fisher, his loving wife of
47 years; four children and their spouses: son,
Thomas Fisher of Lewes and Vivian Fisher of Re-
hoboth; three daughters, Diane and Richard Huff of
Milton, Joanne and David Howel of Georgetown,
Shelly and Steve Forst of Milton; a brother, Matthew
Fisher; a sister, Gladys Moore; and nine grandchil-
dren: Steven D. Marsh Jr., Thaddeus and Jeremy
Fisher, Amber and Matthew Howell, Lindsay and
Lauren Huff, Christopher and Hunter Forst.
Funeral services will be held at I 1 a.m., Saturday,
Aug. 19 at the Chapel of Meison Funeral Services,
Long Neck Road and Route 24, where friends may
call Friday from 6-8 p.m. A Masonic service will be
held at 7 p.m. Burial will be in St. Peter's Cemetery,
Pilottown Road in Lewes. In lieu of flowers, the
family suggests contributions to Delmarva Easter
Seals Rehabilitation Center, 600 N. DuPont High-
way, Georgetown, Del. 19947.
Jesse Edward Pecco,
self-employed disc jockey
Jesse Edward Pecco, 22, of Milford, died Monday,
Aug. 14, .2000, in Lewes. Mr. Pecco was born in
Kalamazoo, Mich., the son of Deborah Santos and
Louis Pecco, both of Rehoboth Beach. He attended
school in Connecticut and Cape Henlopen High
School in Lewes. He was a self-employed disc jock-
ey and enjoyed BMX racing, music, fast cars, exotic
animals, San Diego sunsets and life.
In addition to his parents, he is survived by a step-
father, Francisco SantoS of Rehoboth Beach; a broth-
er, Justin Pecco at home; a stepsister, Tara Santos;
his great-grandmother, Marcia Weglgz of Connecti-
cut; a cousin, Nicole Weglarz of Rehoboth Beach; a
girlfriend, Shanna Wilson of Milford; a nephew; and
many aunts, uncles and cousins.
Services will be held at I l a.m., Friday, Aug. 18, at
Lofland Funeral Home, 102 Lakeview Ave., Milford,
where friends may call two hours prior to the service.
Burial will be in Odd Fellows Cemetery, N. Walnut
Street, Milford. Contributions are suggested in his
memory to Baltimoi'e Trust, 4161 De. l, Rehoboth
Beach DE 1997 l.