Lewes man faces sixth DUI after rear-ending car

A Lewes man faces his sixth DUI charge and other charges for traffic offenses after police said he rear-ended a car Feb. 26 on Hudson Road near Route 9.

Police responded to a crash at 6:30 p.m. and learned the driver of a Chevrolet S10 had rear-ended a Nissan driven by a Maryland woman, 57, who had two passengers, but the Chevrolet driver had left the scene, police said. The woman and passengers were taken to an area hospital with minor injuries, police said.

Using a description of the man provided by the victims, police said they found Thomas Clendaniel, 37, walking eastbound on the shoulder of Route 9. Police said they stopped Clendaniel, and he was impaired and smelled like alcohol. Clendaniel refused any standardized field sobriety tests, police said, and he was taken into custody without incident and transported to Troop 7. A computer search showed Clendaniel had five prior driving under the influence convictions and was driving on a suspended/revoked license at the time of the crash, police said.

Clendaniel was charged with sixth-offense DUI, three counts of second-degree vehicular assault, drunk on a highway, leaving the scene of a collision resulting in injury, driving while suspended or revoked, and other traffic offenses. He was arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 2 and committed to Sussex Correctional Institution in default of a $13,500 secured bond.