Police are searching for the person who crashed a car into the St. John AM Church in Newark, Delaware, on Friday morning. NBC10’s Yukare Nakayama has more as the church is left picking up the pieces.
Police are searching for a person who crashed a vehicle into a church in Newark, Delaware early Friday morning.
According to the Newark Police Department, around 2:06 a.m., a vehicle struck the St. John AM Church at the corner of New London Road and Hillside Road.
Get top local stories in Philly delivered to you every morning. >Sign up for NBC Philadelphia's News Headlines newsletter.
Police said the vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed westbound on West Cleveland Ave. As the vehicle continued westbound through the intersection of West Cleveland Avenue/Hillside Road and New London Road, the vehicle left the roadway and flew into the church.
The driver fled from the scene before officers arrived and there is currently no description of the person, police said.
Police said they were able to contact the church's staff and the City of Newark Building Department, and representatives from both organizations responded to the scene.
Local
Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood.
NBC10 spoke with Pastor Blaine Hackett, who said that St. John AM Church is the first black church in Newark. Only about 15 regular parishioners show up each week, but many more take part online.
Hackett also noted that the church had been hit before by another vehicle. Last time, they set up barriers, but this time, a car still went through them.
According to Hackett, Sunday service will still be held, but in another part of the church that is not impacted.
Anyone with information about this incident, including the driver of the vehicle, is asked to contact Sgt. T. Maiura at (302) 366-7100 x. 3423 or tmaiura@newark.de.us.
Sign up for our Breaking newsletter to get the most urgent news stories in your inbox.
