Avella man accused of leading state police on high-speed chase
An Avella man is accused of leading state police on a lengthy high-speed chase through western Washington County in a stolen car before bailing from the vehicle and being arrested a short time later.
A state police trooper said he was on routine patrol about 9:30 a.m. Monday when he saw Ryan Michael Scott filling up his tank at a gas station on S Bridge Road in Buffalo Township near the Taylorstown exit from Interstate 70.
The trooper ran the vehicle’s license plate and learned the car was reported stolen, and also knew Scott had an active warrant for his arrest, according to court documents. As Scott drove away from the gas station, the trooper turned on his police car’s lights and sirens, but Scott refused to stop his vehicle, investigators said.
The chase continued into neighboring Blaine Township and reached speeds of 75 miles per hour as police said Scott ran several stop signs and drove into the other lane at times attempting to elude the pursuing troopers.
State police deployed spike strips on Route 221 at Pole Cat Hollow Road, but Scott avoided them and drove off the roadway, nearly striking a trooper and his police cruiser, according to court documents.
After chasing Scott for 10 miles, troopers stopped the pursuit after losing sight of his vehicle near Route 231. But police continued searching the area and eventually found the unoccupied vehicle – filled with copper wiring in the backseat – in a wooded area near Buck Run Road in Donegal Township, according to court documents. Police said they found Scott lying down in the woods about a quarter-mile away, and they took him into custody.
Scott allegedly admitted to smoking crack cocaine earlier that morning, and told troopers a blood test would likely reveal methamphetamine in his system, police said. A glass pipe was also found in his possession, according to court documents.
Scott, 37, is facing felony charges of fleeing police, receiving stolen property and flight to avoid apprehension, along with misdemeanor counts of evading arrest, driving under the influence and possession of drug paraphernalia, along with a slew of traffic citations.
He was arraigned by District Judge Charles Tenney and sent to the Washington County jail on $25,000 cash bond while he awaits his preliminary hearing, tentatively scheduled for 10:15 a.m. May 12.