DOVER, Del.- A Delaware jury on Friday convicted a Dover police officer with vehicular homicide in the death of a Kent County woman who was killed in a 2018 crash near Woodside.
Frederick Pierce avoided a conviction for manslaughter, which would have resulted in mandatory jail time, in the death of Catina Isaacs in September 2018. The jury opted to convict him with second-degree vehicular homicide, a lesser-included offense available for consideration.
The jury also found Pierce guilty of assault in connection to another person's injuries in the five-vehicle crash, using his cellphone while driving, and speeding at 84 miles per hour on a 55-mile-per hour road.
"Everybody has got to pay for what they do...and he's no different," said Isaacs' brother, Mike Shane Sr., following the verdict.
Pierce's truck was involved in a chain reaction crash on Sept. 7, 2018 in which police said his vehicle slammed into her SUV from behind amid stopped or slowed traffic near the intersection of U.S. Route 13 and Walnut Shade Road, touching off a cascade of vehicles rear ending the one in front of them. Witnesses testified that cars and trucks were backed up for a half-mile on the southbound side of the road, which is where the crash occurred.
A state trooper testified during the trial that a event data recorder in Pierce's truck showed the vehicle was traveling at 85 miles per hour in the half second before the crash. He also said Pierce's phone showed iMessages had been sent and received on the device in the two minutes before the crash, with one message being sent an estimated 45 seconds before the collision.
Pierce's attorney, Scott Wilson, said the crash was not a matter of recklessness but negligence and urged jurors not to convict his client for manslaughter, which would have required a minimum of two years in prison.
Under a conviction for vehicular homicide, a Class "D" felony, Wilson said sentencing guidelines would suggest judge Noel Primos should consider the possibility of imposing probation rather than as many as two years of incarceration. The offense carries a maximum of 8 years in prison with no minimum requirement for incarceration, under Delaware law.
"He's going to pay for this. I mean, it's a felony. He's lost his license. He's lost his job. He's remorseful but prison just doesn't seem to make sense," Wilson said.
Pierce has been on unpaid leave from the Dover Police Department after being charged last year in the crash, though he was on paid leave for nine months following the incident itself.
Officials with the Dover Police Department would not comment on the verdict but a spokesman noted in a statement that the agency had been awaiting the results of Pierce's trial.
"In regards to Pierce’s status with the department, he remains on unpaid leave pending the outcome of the department’s internal process which includes completing the internal investigation now that a verdict has been reached," said M/Cpl. Mark Hoffman.
Wilson said Pierce is a parent and has served as a coach and mentor to young people but made a grave mistake and will apologize to Isaacs' family when the time is appropriate.
"We believe the jury was fair and deliberate and don't believe this is an unfair verdict," he said.
Shane said no matter what Primos determines appropriate for Pierce's sentence, he is hopeful that Pierce will live and learn from the decision.
"I got no hard feelings but it's something that should have never happened," he said.