Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Suspect waives arraignment in fatal road-rage shooting
The Delaware County man charged in a fatal road-rage shooting has waived a formal arraignment on the charges that was set for Thursday.
David Desper, 28, of Trainer, waived the hearing on charges of first-degree murder and other charges.
Desper is formally charged with what police say was the road-rage killing of recent Rustin High School graduate Bianca Roberson.
Roberson, 18, was instantly killed by a single bullet, after she and another driver were involved in an altercation on June 28 on the Route 100 Bypass in West Goshen, police said. Authorities described the traffic confrontation as a game of “cat and mouse.”
Following a nationwide manhunt for a red Silverado pickup that cameras caught at the scene, Desper turned himself in at the offices of his Media attorney on July 2. West Goshen police officers and county detectives took part in an exhaustive, 48-hour search for the red pickup.
Surveillance video indicated the truck fled the scene after the shooting, took Route 202 to Paoli Pike, then headed south on Route 352 into Delaware County.
After police recovered the red truck at a home in Glen Mills, they got a search warrant for the Desper’s home as the owner of the truck.
Police found a gun and bullets they say forensic tests show were used in the killing, at the construction contractor’s home.
All charges were held over from the preliminary hearing. Desper was charged with murder of the first degree, murder of the third degree, criminal homicide, possession of an instrument of crime and recklessly endangering.
Desper waived the arraignment on Wednesday. A reading of the charges was scheduled to occur at the Chester County Prison where Desper continues to be held without bail.
About 50 of Roberson’s relatives, friends and supporters attended the Aug. 17 preliminary hearing.
Two friends of Rodney Roberson, Bianca Roberson’s father, held a large banner outside the courtroom earlier this month that read, “Justice for Bianca Nikol Roberson who was murdered on Wednesday June 28, 2017.”
Many Roberson family supporters wore shirts featuring Bianca’s photo and a quote from her father.
“There’s nothing else I could say to the guy, except we love her and we miss her, and you stole our daughter from us,” reads the quote.