Area chase suspect back for arraignment
The Florida man accused of leading state police on a chase last month that started near the Taylorstown exit of Interstate 70 in Buffalo Township and ended on Interstate 79 in Monongalia County in West Virginia was returned Monday to Washington County for arraignment.
Theotis Kindell, 27, of Orlando, was charged by state police with fleeing or attempting to elude police, escape, reckless endangerment, resisting arrest, criminal mischief and numerous traffic violations in connection with the pursuit that covered more than 50 miles.
Trooper Christopher Campbell was monitoring traffic about 7:30 p.m. June 26 in the eastbound lanes of I-70 when he clocked a black BMW going 90 mph in a 65 mph zone. Campbell stopped the car and as the trooper approached, the driver, later identified as Kindell, sped off.
Kindell continued east at speeds of more than 120 mph, according to court documents filed with District Judge Ethan Ward. Police indicated Kindell was passing vehicles, including going onto the berm to get around those vehicles.
State police from the Washington barracks tried unsuccessfully to initiate a rolling roadblock, but Kindell continued to flee and run other drivers off the highway. When he reached the south junction of interstates 70 and 79, he went south on I-79. Police said he was going 135 mph.
Additional state police from the Waynesburg barracks joined the effort to stop him, using spike strips, but Kindell was able to manuever around those. State police in West Virginia were notified as well as local law enforcement in that state.
Near the interchange for West Virginia University, Kindell was slowed by a tanker truck traveling in the right lane of the highway. Although he tried forcing state police cars off the road, police were able to box him in and pin him along a hillside. He was taken into custody after struggling with police. Kindell had been in Northern Regional Jail on charges filed by West Virginia state police.
He was arraigned before District Judge Ethan Ward and placed in Washington County jail on $50,000 bond. A preliminary hearing is set for Aug. 12 before Ward.