Man charged after high-speed chase
Greene led police on nighttime pursuit through Bedford County
From Mirror staff reports
A Warminster man faces dozens of charges after allegedly fleeing a traffic stop Thursday in Bedford County.
John Thomas Greene, 32, was arraigned Monday before Magisterial District Judge Kathy S. Calhoun on felony charges of fleeing or attempting to elude an officer, aggravated assault-attempts to cause or causes serious bodily injury to designated individuals, receiving stolen property and possession of drugs with intent to deliver.
He also faces misdemeanor charges of simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, intent to possess a controlled substance, blood-alcohol content of 0.02 percent or greater second offense, two counts of DUI of alcohol/controlled substance and operating a vehicle without required ignition interlock device.
In addition, he faces five summary counts of disregarding traffic lanes, five counts of driving at safe speed, five counts of careless driving, five counts of reckless driving, a count of failure to use safety belt-driver and front-seat occupant and a count of operating a vehicle without insurance.
Bail was denied, and Greene was remanded to the Bedford County Correctional Facility. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 6.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, at 6:45 p.m. Thursday, March 24, Greenfield Police Department sought assistance from state police in Bedford for the pursuit of a black Jeep Patriot. The vehicle committed a traffic violation and was traveling south on I-99 into Bedford County, police reported. That pursuit was terminated due to weather and safety concerns, court documents state.
About a half an hour later, at 7:19 p.m., police located the vehicle backed into a private driveway on Hoover Road, southwest of Detwiler Road, Snake Spring Township, Bedford County. The driver pulled onto Hoover Road and traveled north at a high rate of speed, police said. The vehicle went off the road and up an embankment before getting back on the road and turning right on Detwiler Road, traveling west, court documents state. The vehicle failed to stop at a posted stop sign and turned right on Lower Snake Spring Road, traveling south at 50 to 60 mph, police said.
After police activated lights and sirens to initiate a traffic stop, the driver fled and went through a stop sign, pulled out in front of traffic and turned east on Route 30. Police said the vehicle traveled at speeds of 85 to 90 mph on Route 30.
The vehicle then took the entrance ramp of Route 26, passing a vehicle on the shoulder at speeds of 45 to 50 mph, police reported. The Jeep continued north on Route 26, passing several vehicles in the opposing lane and a no pass zone at speeds of 90 mph, court documents state.
Police used a PIT maneuver on the vehicle as it attempted to make a right turn onto Route 915 and the vehicle rotated clockwise and hit a bridge before the driver recovered control and intentionally struck the police cruiser while trying to flee. The vehicle continued on Route 26 until a second officer successfully initiated a PIT maneuver on the vehicle, causing it to hit a guardrail and overturn on its roof in the center of Route 26, court documents state.
The operator, who was not wearing a seat belt, was taken out of the vehicle and arrested. He was identified as Greene, police said, and it was determined he had multiple felony warrants, one of which was possession with intent to distribute out of Warminster, police said.
Police said Greene showed signs of impairment and was taken to UPMC Altoona for treatment of possible injuries and a legal blood draw.
Police said the Jeep was reported stolen from Warrington Township.
A search warrant was obtained for the vehicle, and police reportedly found 35 grams of meth, 56 grams of raw marijuana, 150 small bags, a grinder, multiple glass pipes containing residue, three cellphones, syringes and $166. Police said the drug evidence is consistent with the intent to deliver.
In addition, fraudulent state inspection stickers were affixed to the windshield of the vehicle, police said. Police said Greene’s driver’s license was not only invalid, but requires him to operate a vehicle with an ignition interlock device.
Green has four outstanding bench warrants for different incidents, court records state.