Delaware State Police have taken a 55-year-old Dover resident into custody following a traffic stop in Leipsic that resulted in his sixth DUI charge and multiple felony weapons violations.
Francis Robinson was apprehended Sunday afternoon, April 26, 2026, around 2:00 p.m. when a state trooper pulled over a Dodge Dakota on Smyrna Lespic Road near Front Street. The officer initiated the stop after noticing the vehicle was displaying license plates that belonged to a different car.
When the trooper made contact with Robinson, the officer noticed indicators of intoxication and spotted several open beer containers throughout the vehicle’s interior. Robinson admitted to drinking alcohol before getting behind the wheel and declined to perform any field sobriety evaluations. Authorities arrested him without any complications.
While searching the Dakota, law enforcement officers found a loaded shotgun inside. Background checks revealed Robinson had five previous DUI convictions on his record and was legally barred from owning firearms because of an earlier violent felony conviction. Police also discovered Robinson was driving in direct violation of a court-issued order that banned him from operating any motor vehicle. Officers additionally found roughly 7.88 grams of what they believe to be marijuana in his possession.
Authorities transported Robinson to Troop 9, where they secured a search warrant to obtain a blood sample. Following his arraignment at Justice of the Peace Court 11, he was ordered held at the Howard R. Young Correctional Institution with bail set at $83,700 cash.
The charges against Robinson include: Possession of a Firearm if Previously Convicted of a Violent Felony (Felony), 6th Offense Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol (Felony), Carrying a Concealed Deadly Weapon (Felony), Possession of a Deadly Weapon by a Person Prohibited Who Also Possesses a Controlled Substance (Felony), Noncompliance with Conditions of Recognizance Bond or Conditions (Felony), Possession of a Firearm while Under the Influence, and Related Traffic Offenses.
