State Police Arrest Dover Woman Following Traffic Stop in Dover

Date Posted: Thursday, July 9th, 2026

The Delaware State Police (DSP) is aware of a video circulating on social media depicting a traffic stop and the subsequent arrest of the driver in Dover, Delaware, on Tuesday, July 7, 2026.   As with all incidents involving a response to resistance, a proactive internal review was initiated immediately following the arrest and is currently underway. We feel it is important to provide some context for the video to provide clarity, promote transparency, and reinforce the trust between our agency and the community we serve. 

On July 7, at approximately 6:05 p.m., a trooper conducted a traffic stop in the area of S. Bay Road and Lafferty Lane in Dover after a computer inquiry indicated that the registration on a Mercury Grand Marquis was suspended due to an uninsured motorist violation.  The trooper conducted a traffic stop and spoke with the driver, 38-year-old Sierra Hopkins of Dover, Delaware, and four juvenile passengers.  It was learned that Hopkins’ license was also suspended and that she had been pulled over and cited by DSP five days prior for the same violations. Hopkins confirmed that her insurance had been canceled but that she was working to fix it.  Based on the initial conversation, the trooper informed Hopkins that she was being issued traffic citations but that he would not tow the vehicle due to her circumstances, even though he should have, given public safety.  A verbal disagreement ensued between Hopkins and the trooper.  Hopkins received a citation and drove away in her vehicle. 

Upon returning to his patrol vehicle, the trooper determined that, given the circumstances and divisional policy, the vehicle should have been towed.  As a result, the trooper conducted a secondary traffic stop in the left-turn lane on E. Lebanon Road near the entrance to McDonald’s, as shown in the social media video.  The trooper advised Hopkins that his decision had changed and that he was towing the vehicle, and requested that she drive her vehicle into the McDonald’s parking lot.  Hopkins refused to move her car and further refused orders to exit the vehicle.  The trooper then began to physically remove Hopkins from her vehicle, but she resisted and clung to the steering wheel to prevent removal.  The trooper then presented his taser, at which point Hopkins exited. Hopkins was verbally ordered to lie on the ground, and when she refused, the trooper used physical force to move her to the ground to take her into custody.  Hopkins continued to resist, kicking the trooper and scratching his face with her fingernails.  The trooper then used defensive strikes and stepped away from Hopkins to deploy his taser. With the help of responding troopers, she was taken into custody. 

Hopkins was taken to Troop 3, where she was charged with the offenses listed below, arraigned by the Justice of the Peace Court, and committed to the Delaware Department of Correction on a $10,000 cash bond: 

• Assault Second Degree Injure a Law Enforcement Officer (Felony) 
• Resisting Arrest with Force or Violence that Injures or Struggles with 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 

The Delaware State Police seeks to gather all relevant and available information, and asks that anyone who directly witnessed the incident or has video contact Lieutenant J. Jones at Troop 3 at (302) 698-8449. 

“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,” said Colonel William D. Crotty, Superintendent of the Delaware State Police. “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.” 

Disclaimer: Any individual charged in this release is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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