DUBOIS – A police chase spanning two counties has resulted in charges against a DuBois man.
According to an affidavit of probable cause filed with District Judge Patrick Ford’s office Feb. 25, Eric L. McDonald, 29, 20 W. Weber Ave., Apt. B., DuBois, is charged by the Sandy Township police with fleeing or attempting to elude police, careless driving, driving at unsafe speeds and two summary traffic charges.
According to the affidavit, on Nov. 17, officers were on patrol on Route 219/Watson Highway near Blinker Parkway. As the officer passed Hepburn Road, he saw a silver Ford Taurus enter the officer’s lane and stop in the middle of the southbound lane, blocking traffic. The vehicle entered the intersection without stopping for the stop sign.
The officer slowed his vehicle and maneuvered to pass the vehicle, but it pulled away. As the officer turned his vehicle around, the Ford pulled away at a high rate of speed onto Route 119. The officer turned on the lights and siren and attempted to catch up.
The officer could see a line of traffic and entered the opposite lane and saw the Ford enter the opposite lane. It began passing vehicles prior to the passing zone and continued traveling at a high rate of speed.
The Ford and the patrol car crossed into Winslow Township, Jefferson County, and the officer saw the Ford turn into Rathmel Run Road. The Ford then turned left onto Wayne Road toward Reynoldsville. The officer negotiated a left turn but lost sight of the Ford.
About half a mile down the road, the officer approached the next road to the left of Church Road and saw the Ford in the driveway of a house adjacent to the road. The officer saw the vehicle had “skid out” partially into the driveway as it turned, due to the speed, and the driver either didn’t have time to react to the officer’s arrival or decided to stop.
The driver was identified as McDonald and he was placed under arrest. The passenger in the vehicle allegedly told police that he and McDonald saw the brake lights come on in the police car, but McDonald was on probation and did not want to stop.
McDonald was taken to the police station and allegedly told police that he when he saw the brake lights on the police car come on, he took off, speeding past the Dairy Queen. The passenger in the vehicle allegedly told McDonald that he was on parole and told McDonald not to stop. McDonald said he was also worried because he was on probation.
McDonald said the passenger told him the police car was behind them, so McDonald drove down Route 322 and passed two vehicles before turning onto Rathmel Run Road. When he saw the police car still behind him, McDonald said he turned onto Wayne Road and started looking for a place to pull over.