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Delaware Man Arrested for Fatal Road Rage Shooting in Newark, State Police Say
Police say a 28-year-old passenger shot Jason Paoletti after a road-rage argument, and the suspect was later arrested and charged with murder.
- On Tuesday, August 4, 2026, William Simpler Jr., 28, of Saint Georges, Delaware, fatally shot 46-year-old Jason Paoletti of Bear, Delaware, at the intersection of Salem Church Road and Old Baltimore Pike in Newark.
- Investigators said the confrontation began at a red light after Paoletti pulled his motorcycle in front of a Hyundai Elantra, prompting a verbal altercation where Paoletti stepped off his bike and reached into a saddlebag.
- Simpler shot Paoletti before fleeing in the Hyundai, but Delaware State Police later arrested the suspect at his Saint Georges home, charging him with first-degree murder and firearm offenses while holding him on a $1.5 million cash bond.
- Paoletti's family, including his sister Dawn Paoletti, described him as a hardworking mechanic and "a lover," disputing road rage allegations as inconsistent with his character.
- The Delaware State Police Victim Services Unit is providing support 24 hours a day for those affected by the sudden death, offering assistance via a toll-free hotline at 1-800-VICTIM-1.
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State Police Arrest Saint Georges Man for Murder Following Road Rage Shooting - Delaware State Police - State of Delaware
Delaware State Police has arrested 28-year-old William Simpler Jr., of Saint Georges, Delaware, for murder following a road rage shooting in Newark on Tuesday. On August 4, 2026, at approximately […]
Police: Saint Georges Man Facing Murder Charge In OBP Killing
Delaware State Police have arrested a 28-year-old Saint Georges man in connection with a fatal road rage shooting that claimed the life of a Bear motorcyclist in Newark on Tuesday afternoon. The shooting occurred at approximately 1:30 p.m. on August 4 at the intersection of Salem Church Road and Old Baltimore Pike (OBP). Troopers responding to the scene found 46-year-old Jason Paoletti of Bear lying in the roadway with a gunshot wound. He was tr…
Coverage Details
Total News Sources11
Leaning Left1Leaning Right2Center7Last UpdatedBias Distribution70% Center
Bias Distribution
- 70% of the sources are Center
70% Center
C 70%
R 20%
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