A 29-year-old man is behind bars on $100,300 cash bail after New Castle County police say he broke into an 80-year-old woman's home early Sunday and tried to rape her, then was caught by patrol officers within minutes of her 911 call. Davonso Davis now faces a combination of felony burglary, attempted rape, and misdemeanor charges tied to that break-in and at least one earlier incident on the same block.
According to the NBC10 Philadelphia report, the alleged attack happened around 2:40 a.m. Sunday on the unit block of Arbor Avenue in Overview Gardens, a residential pocket of unincorporated New Castle County roughly two miles north of historic downtown New Castle along the New Castle Avenue corridor, according to Mapcarta. Responding officers took Davis into custody nearby after matching him to the suspect description relayed by dispatch, and he was later taken to a hospital before his release, per the same report.
Police also say Davis sexually harassed a family member of the 80-year-old victim during the encounter, and that he had attempted to burglarize a 70-year-old victim on the same block on Sept. 24. Investigators are now searching for possible additional victims connected to Davis, the outlet notes.
Charges Span Felonies and Misdemeanors
The New Castle County Division of Police formally charged Davis on Monday with felony first-degree burglary, felony attempted second-degree rape without consent, felony attempted first-degree burglary, misdemeanor sexual harassment, misdemeanor second-degree criminal trespass, and misdemeanor criminal mischief under $1,000, according to NCCPD News. The charges combine the Arbor Avenue burglary with the Sept. 24 attempted break-in and a prior sexual harassment report, per that account.
Following his release from the hospital, Davis was arraigned at Justice of the Peace Court 2 and remanded to the Howard R. Young Correctional Institution in Wilmington under $100,300 cash bail, First State Update reported. The facility, known locally as Gander Hill Prison, is a Level 5 institution that processes roughly 60 percent of all admissions in Delaware's correctional system and houses about 1,500 inmates, according to the Delaware Department of Correction.
Statutory Weight of the Charges
Delaware's first-degree burglary statute is generally classified as a Class C felony carrying a mandatory minimum of one year in prison, but it escalates to a Class B felony punishable by up to 25 years if the victim is 62 or older and suffers physical injury, per the Law Offices of Murray, Phillips & Gay. The 80-year-old victim's age alone does not trigger that enhanced classification.
Second-degree rape under Delaware law is classified as a Class B felony, according to the Delaware General Assembly's code.
Police Appeal for More Victims to Come Forward
Investigators are urging anyone with information or similar experiences to contact Detective Alexandra Vansant at (302) 395-8137 or [email protected], per the NBC10 Philadelphia report. Those without direct information can reach the New Castle County Division of Police non-emergency line at (302) 573-2800.
Overview Gardens grew as a post-World War II residential suburb adjacent to the historic Buttonwood community established near New Castle in the early 20th century, with housing developments expanding along Route 9 and New Castle Avenue through the mid-20th century, according to the Delaware Public Archives. The neighborhood today consists primarily of single-family homes.
Other Crime Coverage
The case comes amid other local crime coverage. Statewide, burglary still ranks as the single most common property offense category leading to incarceration among male offenders released from Delaware correctional facilities, per the Delaware Statistical Analysis Center.
The arrest adds to a string of recent burglary cases Hoodline has tracked across New Castle County, including a Newark home invasion case earlier this year. For now, the open questions in this case center on what happens at Davis's preliminary hearing and whether Detective Vansant's appeal turns up additional victims.
