In what police called one of the "stranger reported cases of late," bikers and a jogger reported being struck by blow darts while working out in Delaware this week.
Delaware State Police were on the lookout for a series of different vehicles based of eyewitness accounts.
The original incident was reported Tuesday when man told police he was hit by a dart while out for a morning bike ride.
Dan Wilson, 36, called 9-1-1 to report that he was struck by a dart while riding his bike around 11 a.m. "All of the sudden I feel, it feels like a really big bee sting," described the Wilmington man.
Wilson was riding his bike northbound on Route 7 near Ocheltree Lane in Wilmington when he suddenly felt pain in his right leg.
He looked down to find a four-inch blow dart sticking out of his thigh. The dart was so deep, he couldn't get it out with one tug. "I keep pulling it and pulling it and it was a good two inches, two and a half inches lodged in there," Wilson said.
"It was like a scene out of Indiana Jones," said DSP Cpl. Jeff Whitmarsh.
Since the attack happened suddenly, Wilson didn't see much. He only remembered seeing a full-size pick up truck drive by on Route 7 when he was hit by the dart.
Wilson was treated by his family doctor. While he can laugh now, the man said he doesn't want to think what would happen if the dart would have wound up somewhere else. "If that had hit me in the neck... that could have been bad," he said.
There was a twist -- this wasn't the only alleged blow dart attack this week in the First State.
After hearing about the Route 7 attack three other people contacted State Police about similar attacks.
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A 27-year-old woman was hit in her lower back by a blow dart while biking along Route 71 near the Red Lion Christian Academy in Bear, Del. on Monday night around 7:15, police said. She was treated by her primary care physician.
Later Monday at about 9:30 p.m. a 17-year-old was struck by a dart in his hand while biking on Route 40 at Wrangle Hill Road in New Castle. He needs surgery to repair his damaged hand, according to police.
Then on Tuesday around 5 p.m. a 29-year-old jogger was struck in the calf while running along Route 7, north of Route 72, said police. She was treated by her personal doctor.
Possible vehicle descriptions from the cases varied. Police are on the look out for a full-size Ford pickup truck, a small white pickup truck, a dark-colored pickup with two men inside and/or a black four-door Mazda sedan.
It wasn't clear if the attacks were connected. Anyone with information pertaining to this case is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333.
