Two Philadelphia men wanted in connection with a stolen car crashing into a historic Newark, Delaware church have finally turned themselves in, more than a year and a half after slipping away from a hospital before detectives could arrest them. Kasim Coleman, 25, and Brandon Mayes, 22, surrendered separately to Newark Police this year, closing out a case that began in the early morning hours of January 13, 2025.
According to a Newark Police Department press release, the crash happened at St. John AME Church, located at the intersection of New London Road and Hillside Road in Newark. Officers first encountered the fleeing vehicle around 4:15 a.m. that day after responding to a report of trespassing at a car dealership on the 300 block of East Cleveland Avenue, according to First State Update. Newark officers attempted a traffic stop on the black sedan but discontinued the pursuit, only to later discover the car had slammed into the church.
Police confirmed the vehicle had been reported stolen out of Pennsylvania, First State Update reported. Both men inside were hospitalized after the crash, with one 24-year-old male suspect admitted in critical condition for head, pelvic, and leg injuries, and the second admitted in serious condition, per the same account.
Suspects Vanished From Hospital Before Arrests Could Be Made
Both suspects left Christiana Hospital before Newark Police could formally place them under arrest, triggering an 18-month search in Philadelphia and nearby areas, according to Fox 29 Philadelphia. Detectives searched for the two men across Philadelphia and nearby areas as warrants remained outstanding, the station reported. That search ended only when Mayes surrendered to police on August 18, followed by Coleman on August 31, both in Newark.
Mayes was released on unsecured bail of $3,703 after his arraignment, while Coleman was held in default of $50,004 cash bail, Fox 29 Philadelphia reported. The men were arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court #2 in Delaware, and it remains unclear whether additional people were involved in the original trespassing report at the car dealership. According to Delaware State Courts, the Justice of the Peace Court handles certain misdemeanors and most motor-vehicle cases, excluding felonies, and may also act as a committing magistrate. Defendants appearing for arraignment in the Justice of the Peace Court are asked to sign a Jurisdictional Form, according to Delaware State Courts.
Charges Detail Assault, Theft And Conspiracy Counts
Coleman faces charges of first-degree assault involving intentional or reckless serious injury during a felony, along with first-degree reckless endangering, attempted motor vehicle theft, receiving stolen property, conspiracy, and multiple criminal mischief counts, according to a Newark Police Department press release. Mayes faces two counts of attempted theft of a motor vehicle, receiving stolen property valued over $1,500, second-degree conspiracy, multiple criminal mischief counts, disregarding a police officer's signal, speeding, and traffic lane violations.
Authorities have not released details on the extent of injuries suffered in the crash or the full scope of damage to the church, Fox 29 Philadelphia reported. Newark Police said their investigation remains ongoing and that further charges could be filed. The department is asking anyone with information to contact Detective James Skinner at (302) 366-7100 ext. 3135 or by email at [email protected].
Church Has Weathered Two Crashes And Rebuilt
The January crash marked the second time that a stolen vehicle had crashed into St. John AME Church, following an earlier hit-and-run in August 2024, according to CBS Philadelphia. Founded in 1848, St. John AME Church is the oldest Black church in Newark, a distinction that has made the repeated collisions especially painful for the congregation and the wider community, per CBS Philadelphia's report. The Newark congregation dates to around 1848.
Following the two collisions, the church underwent a $300,000 sanctuary restoration and installed protective exterior bollards meant to shield the building from future vehicle strikes, the outlet reported. Questions remain about exactly how the two men were able to leave the hospital without being taken into custody last year, and how their upcoming court proceedings in Delaware's Justice of the Peace Court system will unfold.
