Driver accused of leading police on rush-hour chase through Peters, North Strabane
A Carroll Township man is accused of leading police on a chase in Peters Township and North Strabane during Friday evening’s rush hour while briefly driving the wrong way on Route 19 and later crashing into at least two police cars.
A state police trooper was driving north on Route 19 near Linden Road about 5:15 p.m. when he noticed a vehicle matching the description of a wanted man, who was identified in court documents as 55-year-old Frank Cope Jr.
Police attempted to stop Cope, but he continued driving north on Route 19 before turning onto Galley Road and then cutting through a parking lot leading to Waterdam Road, according to court documents.
Police said Cope then turned left onto Route 19, driving south in the northbound lanes before turning back onto Galley Road and heading back in the same loop as before. State police and North Strabane police attempted to box Cope in, but he struck one police vehicle and then crashed into a state police cruiser as he pushed it out of his way while trying to enter Kerry Court, investigators said.
Police eventually boxed Cope’s vehicle in on Galley Road and troopers had to use a Taser to subdue him as they broke out the front windows and pulled him from the driver’s seat with some troopers suffering cuts to their hands, according to court documents. Police said Cope resisted arrest as they tried to take him into custody. Several open beer cans were found in the vehicle and Cope appeared to be intoxicated at the scene, police said.
Cope is facing 16 counts of felony aggravated assault, along with numerous other charges of resisting arrest, fleeing police, criminal mischief, simple assault, flight to avoid apprehension, possession of drug paraphernalia, reckless endangerment and driving under the influence.
He was arraigned Saturday afternoon by District Judge Phillippe Melograne, who denied bond and sent him to the Washington County jail while awaiting his preliminary hearing tentatively scheduled for Oct. 19 at 1 p.m.