Delaware State Police/Twitter Catherine Iocco
Catherine Iocco, a Delaware woman, is accused of stealing and then burning a thin blue line flag that was placed on a bridge to honor the life of a deceased state trooper who often conducted traffic stops there.
Iocco is 21-years-old and from Wilmington, Delaware. She also goes by the name Catie Iocco. According to the Delaware State Police, after authorities made contact with the owner of the flag, “it was learned that he mounted the pole and flag to the bridge…after learning about the passing of the Delaware State Trooper. The owner wanted to honor fallen Trooper William F. Matt, who recently passed away.”
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Iocco Is Accused of Stealing the Flag Near a Local Bridge But a Witness Wrote Down Her License Plate
Catherine Iocco
According to the Delaware State Police, they arrested the Wilmington woman for allegedly “stealing and burning a flag.” The incident occurred on Friday, July 13, 2018 at approximately 5:15 p.m., “after a report was received by a concerned citizen that a flag was stolen from the area of the Nassau Bridge located on Coastal Highway north of Lewes.”
A witness “reported a black Chevrolet was pulled over on the left shoulder near the median adjacent to where a ‘thin blue line,’ flag was mounted and on display,” police wrote in a statement.
The vehicle “was sitting stationary with the driver’s side door ajar with a white female outside of the vehicle straddling the bridge median and reaching for the flag. As the suspect returned to her vehicle with the flag, the witness observed her drive by his location while operating her cell phone and obtained her vehicle description and tag number,” said the police.
2. Iocco Is Accused of Burning & Destroying the Flag
Catherine Iocco
The investigation revealed the vehicle description “matched the suspect’s Chevrolet Malibu and later discovered belonged to Catherine Iocco, 21 of Wilmington,” the Delaware State police alleged.
“Troopers were able to ascertain the location of the suspect vehicle in Milton and apprehended Catherine Iocco without incident. The suspect was unable to return the flag because she set the flag on fire and destroyed it,” the release said.
Iocco was transported to Troop 7 “where she was processed and formally charged for Theft, Criminal Mischief and other related traffic charges. She was arraigned before the Justice of the Peace Court 3 and released on $275.00 unsecured bond,” said the police.
2. Catherine Iocco Is a Registered Democrat, Barista & Photographer
Catherine Iocco
According to Delaware voter records, Catherine R. Iocco is a registered Democrat. She is registered to vote in New Castle County in Delaware and was born in 1997.
Iocco is listed as an active voter who registered to vote in 2013.
She has pages on the Internet showcasing photography. One reads, “things i am grateful to have seen” and includes photos arranged into these categories: “the Sky, bridges/cities, plants.” That page gives her title as “barista.”
Her Facebook page is now deleted but used the words SkyMoonRainbow in the URL.
4. The Flag Honored a State Trooper Who Often Conducted Traffic Stops Near the Bridge
Traffic, funeral advisories for Delaware State Police trooper William Matt t.co/JnhsscyPZX
The thin blue line flag was designed to honor fallen Delaware State Police Trooper William F. Matt, according to WBOC-TV.
According to DelMarva Now, Matt “unexpectedly died July 9 at his home…He was a 29-year veteran of the Delaware State Police and served as a School Resource Officer in the Cape Henlopen School District.”
Tim Dale and Dave Repass placed the “Thin Blue Line” flag on the Nassau Bridge “to pay tribute to Matt after his untimely death…the placement was intentional, as Matt was known to often conduct traffic stops on or near the bridge,” reported WBOC-TV.
5. Iocco Was in Junior ROTC
Catherine Iocco is on the right
The 512th Airlift Wing previously posted a photo showing that Catherine Iocco was once a Navy Junior ROTC cadet.
The photo was taken on June 9, 2012, “aboard a C-17 Globemaster III from Dover Air Force Base, Del. The cadets visited the base to learn about its missions after finishing their school year at the Delaware Military Academy,” the Air Force wrote in the caption.
An obituary for Catherine Iocco’s grandfather says he served in the U.S. Air Force and at U.S. embassies. Catie Iocco wrote posts for the Delaware Military Academy’s sports news page.