Man shot by Wilmington police during arrest sentenced for 4 years

A 53-year-old Wilmington man was sentenced to four years in prison after he drove his vehicle toward police officers in an attempt to resist arrest. 

Two officers shot at Orrin Daniels, hitting him once before he fled the scene, a shooting that state prosecutors ruled was a justified use of force under Delaware law. He was later arrested and charged with several counts of attempted murder. 

He later pleaded guilty to charges of reckless endangering and possession of a deadly weapon during the commission of a felony. 

At Friday’s sentencing hearing, Daniels said that he was “sorry” for the way he acted.

The prosecutor argued that his “actions and decisions escalated the situation.”

His charges stem from March 5, 2020, when Wilmington police responded to a call for a domestic dispute on the 3200 block of W. Second St. 

Officers found Daniels sitting inside a running vehicle, according to police. 

When they asked him to turn off the engine, he tried to flee and rammed his car into a police vehicle, hit a second vehicle and drove toward two officers who were standing on the sidewalk, police said. 

Officers fired at him, and Daniels fled to the 900 block of N. Pine St., where police were able to arrest him. 

The incident caused some in the community to question the police account. 

Richard Smith, president of the Delaware NAACP, said at the time that witnesses told him a slightly different story of what had happened. They said that Daniels “didn’t really try to run (the officers) over” and police shot at him before he fled in the car.

SENTENCING:Wilmington man gets 30 years for murder

A Delaware Department of Justice investigation cleared the officers and released a report on the shooting based on statements from witnesses and the police.