How a handprint allowed police to charge man with shooting woman in road-rage incident

A man who shot a woman during a road-rage incident that did not involve her last week was identified, in part, due to a handprint he left on the intended victim's truck, police said.

Rondel Jones, 21, was arrested Monday in connection with the Aug. 15 shooting. He was driving a dirt bike in Wilmington with several friends when the group encountered Tim Hetherington.

Hetherington, who gave Delaware Online/The News Journal permission to use his name, was driving his truck from work on the southeast side of Wilmington toward a physical therapy appointment near Little Italy a little after 2:30 p.m.

He told Delaware Online/The News Journal he ended up between a dirt bike and an ATV, and a second four-wheeler that was behind him. This, he said, angered Jones, who was on a black and green dirt bike, court records detail.

Jones kicked, then banged on the passenger side of the truck with his hand, demanding Hetherington "get out," court documents say. Surveillance video and the handprint, found where Hetherington said Jones hit the truck, later corroborated Hetherington's story.

INTENDED VICTIM SPEAKS:The bullets were meant for him. Instead, an 'innocent' woman was shot in Wilmington

Hetherington, fearful at this point, tried to turn a corner but he was almost run off the road, he said. After trying to get away from the group, he heard several shots. Surveillance video showed Jones firing, police said.

Though Hetherington was not injured, a woman who was driving in the 2900 block of Lancaster Ave. was hit by the bullets.

She told police she heard several "bangs" and then "felt a throbbing sensation in her left arm, eventually realizing she'd been shot."

She drove about a block-and-a-half away, ultimately pulling up outside Cab Calloway School of the Arts, which shares a building with Charter School of Wilmington. She received treatment for a gunshot wound to her arm there and was taken to the hospital.

Wilmington police arrested Jones on Monday, after receiving an analysis of the handprint.

The 21-year-old, who is known by police "to often illegally operate (off-highway vehicles) in a reckless manner within" Wilmington, was charged with assault, reckless endangering, wearing a disguise during the commission of a felony and several gun charges.

He's being held in prison on $142,000 cash bail.

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INITIAL STORY:Lancaster Avenue shooting in Wilmington ends with victim at city arts school