A Pennsylvania man faces a raft of criminal charges including counts of receiving stolen property, eluding law enforcement and driving under the influence of alcohol after allegedly led police on a high-speed chase through Centre County on the evening of April 28. The 46-year-old Allentown resident is being held at the Centre County Correctional Facility according to media reports. His bail has been set at $25,000, and he was scheduled to appear in court on May 6.
Order to exit vehicle prompts chase
The sequence of events that led to the man being taken into custody began at approximately 9:20 p.m. That was when a silver Honda SUV pulled into a dirt lot near the intersection of Interstate 99 and Interstate 80. A Pennsylvania State Police trooper who was working in the area says that he approached the vehicle to find out if the driver required assistance. The trooper says that he ordered the man to exit his vehicle after noticing that his speech was slurred when he asked for directions. The man then left the scene at a high rate of speed according to a police report.
Police claim man admitted to drinking and using drugs
The pursuit, which allegedly reached speeds of up to 70 mph, began on Jacksonville Road and continued on East Howard Street in Bellefonte Borough. It came to an end when the SUV struck a parked vehicle on North Penn Street near Hale Alley. During the chase, police say that they discovered that the SUV had been reported stolen in Nazareth. The man is said to have admitted to drinking before getting behind the wheel when police discovered an open container of alcohol under the SUV’s driver’s seat. He also allegedly admitted to taking methamphetamine when police transported him to a nearby medical facility to collect a blood sample.
Fleeing the police usually makes matters worse
Experienced criminal defense attorneys may understand that the urge to flee can be strong when individuals fear that an arrest could lead to drunk driving charges, but they would likely advise their clients to resist this impulse and cooperate with police. Attempts to elude law enforcement usually end in failure and lead to additional charges, and they can also make obtaining favorable terms during plea discussions far more difficult. If you are pulled over by the police, an attorney would likely advise you to be courteous to the officers but make no confessions or admissions before speaking with a lawyer.