Delaware State Police say they are aware of a video spreading across social media that shows a traffic stop and arrest in Dover — and they want the public to know what led up to what was captured on camera.
The incident took place on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, at around 6:05 p.m., when a trooper pulled over a Mercury Grand Marquis near S. Bay Road and Lafferty Lane in Dover. A computer check had flagged the vehicle’s registration as suspended due to an uninsured motorist violation.
The trooper spoke with the driver, identified as 38-year-old Sierra Hopkins of Dover, along with four juvenile passengers in the vehicle. During that conversation, it was discovered that Hopkins’ driver’s license was also suspended — and that she had already been stopped and cited by Delaware State Police just five days earlier for the same violations. Hopkins acknowledged that her insurance had been canceled but said she was in the process of getting it resolved.
Based on their initial exchange, the trooper told Hopkins he would issue her traffic citations but would not have her vehicle towed — even though department policy called for it under the circumstances. A verbal dispute then broke out between Hopkins and the trooper. She was ultimately handed a citation and drove away.
After returning to his patrol vehicle, the trooper reconsidered and determined that, per divisional policy, the car should have been towed after all. He then conducted a second traffic stop, pulling Hopkins over in the left-turn lane on E. Lebanon Road near the entrance to a McDonald’s — the location visible in the social media video.
The trooper informed Hopkins that he had changed his decision and that her vehicle would be towed. He asked her to move the car into the McDonald’s parking lot. Hopkins refused to move the vehicle and also refused orders to step out of the car. The trooper then attempted to physically remove her, but Hopkins grabbed onto the steering wheel to resist. The trooper drew his taser, at which point Hopkins got out of the vehicle on her own.
When Hopkins refused a verbal order to lie on the ground, the trooper used physical force to bring her to the ground in order to take her into custody. Hopkins continued to resist, kicking the trooper and scratching his face with her fingernails. The trooper responded with defensive strikes and stepped back to deploy his taser. Additional troopers arrived and assisted in taking Hopkins into custody.
Hopkins was transported to Troop 3, where she was charged, arraigned by the Justice of the Peace Court, and held at the Delaware Department of Correction on a $10,000 cash bond. She faces the following charges:
- Assault Second Degree — Injure a Law Enforcement Officer (Felony)
- Resisting Arrest with Force or Violence that Injures or Struggles with a Peace Officer Causing Injury (Felony)
- Endangering the Welfare of a Child — 4 counts
- Criminal Mischief Under $1,000
- Driving While Suspended or Revoked
- Failure to Have Required Insurance
- Additional license and registration violations
Delaware State Police are asking anyone who directly witnessed the incident or has video footage to contact Lieutenant J. Jones at Troop 3 by calling (302) 698-8449.
Colonel William D. Crotty, Superintendent of the Delaware State Police, addressed the public reaction to the video. “While the trooper was authorized and expected to tow the vehicle, we acknowledge and recognize that the perception of the second stop and the events that occurred after have generated a lot of questions,” he said. “The events surrounding the arrest are being reviewed. Additionally, we are working with members of our Police Accountability Committee to ensure transparency and address any questions that may arise from the community. As we work through this incident, we remind those we serve that the best course of action in situations that you feel are unjust is to comply with lawful orders and follow up with troop supervision or the Office of Professional Responsibility about your concerns. As always, we remain committed to upholding the trust and partnership in the community that we serve.”
Delaware State Police say that, as is standard procedure for any incident involving a response to resistance, an internal review was launched immediately following the arrest and remains ongoing.
