A traffic stop in Dover, Delaware, has drawn statewide scrutiny after video circulated showing a state trooper forcibly removing 38-year-old Sierra Hopkins from her car and deploying a Taser while her four children were inside the vehicle. NBC Philadelphia reported that the July 7 incident is now under review by Delaware State Police, who say the footage circulating online lacks important context.
According to investigators, Hopkins was first pulled over that evening near South Bay Road and Lafferty Lane after a check showed her registration was suspended for lack of insurance.
She told the trooper she was working to resolve the issue, and he initially opted to issue a citation without towing her car. But after she drove off, the trooper reconsidered, having determined that department policy required the vehicle be towed, especially given she had been cited for the same violations days earlier.
The second stop, near a McDonald’s on East Lebanon Road, escalated quickly. Police say Hopkins refused to exit the car or move it, prompting the trooper to attempt to pull her out as she gripped the steering wheel.
Officials say she resisted, kicked the trooper and scratched his face, leading him to fire his Taser. She now faces charges including second degree assault on a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest and four counts of endangering the welfare of a child.
The response from the community has been swift. Fleur McKendell, president of the Delaware NAACP State Conference, told 6ABC her organization is pushing for a complete investigation, expressing particular concern for the children who witnessed the arrest. “This is such a vulnerable and tender moment,” she said.
“I’m sure her children were present, which brings another cause of concern because that’s trauma.” McKendell added that the footage has “evoked a lot of strong emotions” and stressed the importance of reviewing all available video before drawing conclusions.
Governor Matt Meyer also weighed in, saying he reviewed the footage after being notified and emphasizing that public trust in policing “is not automatic” but earned through transparency. State police said the arrest is being reviewed alongside their Police Accountability Committee. The trooper involved has not been publicly identified, and his current status has not been disclosed.
