A Philadelphia man is facing several felony weapons charges along with a DUI after his SUV caught fire on a Delaware highway. State police said they found him walking away from the burning vehicle, then searched him. They recovered a loaded handgun and two large-capacity magazines. He showed signs of impairment and admitted he’d been drinking, according to troopers.
Delaware State Police were called to a vehicle fire on Interstate 495 near East Holly Oak Road around 10:50 p.m. on June 24, according to the Daily Voice. When troopers arrived, a Subaru Outback was fully engulfed in flames, and they spotted the driver walking away from it. They identified him as 27-year-old Isaiah Church.
The flames were extinguished, but troopers searched Church and say they found a loaded 9mm handgun on him, along with two large-capacity magazines. He was taken into custody without incident. Police say he showed several signs of impairment and acknowledged that he’d been drinking recently. At a state police barracks, investigators said he continued to appear impaired as they carried out a DUI investigation.
Church was then charged with two felony counts of possessing a large-capacity magazine, felony carrying a concealed deadly weapon, possession of a firearm while under the influence, driving under the influence of alcohol, and several other related traffic offenses. After being arraigned on the charges, he was released on a $6,300 unsecured bond.
Why the Gun Charges Are So Serious
The DUI accusation may be what started the investigation, but the felony gun counts are the most serious infractions Church is facing. In Delaware, carrying a concealed firearm without a license is a felony in itself. There’s also a separate charge for having a gun while impaired, since the state treats mixing firearms and alcohol as its own offense. Together, those counts are more serious than the DUI on its own.
The two magazine charges point to a Delaware law many drivers from out of state don’t know about. Delaware is one of a number of states that ban high-capacity magazines, generally defined as those holding more than 17 rounds. Possessing one there is a felony, even for someone who bought it legally somewhere else. For a Philadelphia man crossing into Delaware, that’s an easy line to cross.
How a Car Fire Led to All of This
The unusual part of this case is that none of it began with a traffic stop. Troopers weren’t pulling Church over for swerving or speeding. They were responding to a car on fire, and the rest unfolded from there once they reached the driver. A burning Subaru on the shoulder is simply what put him in front of police.
It’s still not clear what caused the SUV to catch fire, and police haven’t tied the blaze itself to any wrongdoing. The fire was put out without anyone getting hurt, which is the one piece of good news in this situation. Church is now out on bond while the case heads toward court.