Newark Man Arrested After Slashing Victim’s Neck During East Main Street Altercation

On Friday, April 24, 2026, at approximately 2:57 p.m., officers responded to a disturbance at a church parking lot located on the 300 block of East Main Street.

The investigation determined that Eric Pitts, 54, of Newark, had been involved in an earlier altercation with an acquaintance at a separate location on East Main Street. Hours later, the disagreement resumed at the 300 block location and escalated.

During the incident, Pitts produced a box cutter-style knife and slashed the victim’s neck, causing serious injuries. Responding officers immediately rendered first aid until emergency medical personnel arrived. The victim was transported to a local hospital via ambulance, treated for serious injuries, and later released.

Pitts fled the scene prior to police arrival. Officers quickly located him a short distance away at a nearby bus stop, where he was taken into custody without incident. The weapon was subsequently recovered after Pitts discarded it.

Pitts was transported to Newark Police Department headquarters and charged with the following:

• Assault 1st Degree
• Possession of a Deadly Weapon During the Commission of a Felony

He was arraigned before a judge at the Justice of the Peace Court #2 and committed to Howard R. Young Correctional Institution after being issued $30,000 secured bail.

This investigation remains active and ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Sergeant james Skinner at 302-366-7110 ext. 3135 or at jskinner@newark.de.us 

Additional methods for providing information to Newark Police can be found on our tips page, where reward information may also be available.

Pitts, Eric