Car Chase

Two West Virginia men were in police custody Sunday afternoon following a police pursuit that reached 100 mph and stemmed from an attempted burglary call east of Saint James, south of Hagerstown, Washington County Deputy Alan Matheny said. The suspects fled in a red Kia van that hit at least one vehicle during the pursuit, Matheny said. No one was injured in that accident, police said. The accident occurred at the intersection of Sharpsburg Pike and Lappans Road by the AC&T store, Matheny said.

Pennsylvania State Police on Tuesday continued  looking for a man who swam across a creek after leading them on a car chase Sunday through Guilford Township, Pa. State police identified the man as Jaime Hernandez Velaquez, 25, address unavailable. Police said they started chasing a vehicle, which they alleged was driven by Velaquez, at about 3:25 a.m. as it was driven through Chambersburg, Pa. The pursuit continued south on U.S. 11, where the vehicle turned onto side streets and eventually crashed on Feaster Road.

andrews@herald-mail.com marlob@herald-mail.com Steven Exum couldn't believe that part of Old Faithful's front end had been shorn off. "I was getting ready to start restoring it," he said of the 1978 Buick LeSabre clobbered during a car chase that began at 5:43 p.m. Wednesday on North Prospect Street in Hagerstown. A driver who took off from police after a traffic stop smashed into three parked cars on Forest Drive, near Pennsylvania Avenue, at about 5:45 p.m. Hagerstown City Police arrested the driver, but two passengers ran. A loaded .380-caliber semiautomatic handgun was found in the grass down the block, but as of 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, police wouldn't confirm whether it was connected to the car involved in the chase.

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. -- A car being chased by police south on Interstate 81 from Maryland into West Virginia early Saturday ended at a rest area inside the West Virginia line, where a passenger in the car ran into a wooded area, according to a press release from the West Virginia State Police. Maryland State Police detained the driver of the car, who was identified as Louis Mills, 24, of Martinsburg, according to the release. The passenger, who was later found on U.S. 11 and Tabernacle Way, was identified as Joshua Helman, 18, of Waynesboro, Pa., the release said.

martinsburg@herald-mail.com MIDDLETOWN, MD. - Two Hagerstown men were killed early Saturday outside of Middletown after leading police on a high-speed pursuit and crashing into a utility pole, according to police. The driver of the car, Gregory M. Stone, 26, of the 100 block of Hillcrest Road, was pronounced dead at the scene. The passenger in the car, Randy D. Howard, 27, of the 400 block of Park Place, was taken by ambulance to Frederick (Md.) Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time later, Maryland State Police said.

Newlywed starts serving sentence for traffic offenses By MARLO BARNHART marlob@herald-mail.com Timothy Lee Faith's first year of marriage has been interrupted again as he began serving a six-month sentence Monday for his latest series of traffic offenses. Last October, Hancock Police whisked Faith from his wedding because of charges stemming from a July car chase. Faith was convicted Monday of driving on a revoked license, fleeing and eluding, reckless driving and speeding.

A man arrested following a chase involving Maryland State Police on Saturday was wanted in connection with an armed robbery last summer, according to the Hagerstown Police Department. Police said Jabazz R. Parker, 23, of 140 Asch Loop, Bronx, N.Y., was charged with armed robbery, robbery, first-degree burglary, first- and second-degree burglary, using a handgun in commission of a felony, theft under $500, carrying concealed/deadly weapon and conspiracy to commit armed robbery, robbery, first-degree burglary and theft under $500 in a 2003 incident.

Staff and wire reports MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - Two escapees from the Eastern Regional Detention Center remained at large late Wednesday night, according to Martinsburg City Police. Miguel Quinones, 19, of Framingham, Mass., overpowered guard Cheryl Lutz early Tuesday morning, stealing the keys to the institution and the keys to her car, officials said. The convicted murderer was joined by Adam Rozas, 17, of Charles Town, who had recently been convicted in an auto theft case.

West Virginia State Police have released the name of a man who they said they believe jumped into the Potomac River after leading authorities on a car chase that began with shots being fired Monday night near Berkeley Springs, W.Va. David James Windham has been charged with one count of grand larceny and two counts of attempted unlawful assault of a police officer, according to a news release from West Virginia State Police. The incident began after troopers received a call for a copper theft at 9:05 p.m. Monday near Sir Johns Run Road in Berkeley Springs.

A Hagerstown man who led police on a car chase through downtown in January pleaded guilty Monday in Washington County Circuit Court to possession of drug paraphernalia and fleeing and eluding police. Matthew Herman Hunt Jr., 39, of 19 S. Burhans Blvd., was sentenced by Circuit Judge Donald E. Beachley to three years in state prison, with all but 15 months suspended. Beachley ordered the sentence to be served in the Washington County Detention Center. Nine other charges, including two counts of second-degree assault and a number of traffic violations, were dismissed as part of the plea agreement.

A Hagerstown man who led police on a car chase through downtown in January pleaded guilty Monday in Washington County Circuit Court to possession of drug paraphernalia and fleeing and eluding police. Matthew Herman Hunt Jr., 39, of 19 S. Burhans Blvd., was sentenced by Circuit Judge Donald E. Beachley to three years in state prison, with all but 15 months suspended. Beachley ordered the sentence to be served in the Washington County Detention Center. Nine other charges, including two counts of second-degree assault and a number of traffic violations, were dismissed as part of the plea agreement.

West Virginia State Police have released the name of a man who they said they believe jumped into the Potomac River after leading authorities on a car chase that began with shots being fired Monday night near Berkeley Springs, W.Va. David James Windham has been charged with one count of grand larceny and two counts of attempted unlawful assault of a police officer, according to a news release from West Virginia State Police. The incident began after troopers received a call for a copper theft at 9:05 p.m. Monday near Sir Johns Run Road in Berkeley Springs.

Two West Virginia men were in police custody Sunday afternoon following a police pursuit that reached 100 mph and stemmed from an attempted burglary call east of Saint James, south of Hagerstown, Washington County Deputy Alan Matheny said. The suspects fled in a red Kia van that hit at least one vehicle during the pursuit, Matheny said. No one was injured in that accident, police said. The accident occurred at the intersection of Sharpsburg Pike and Lappans Road by the AC&T store, Matheny said.

Pennsylvania State Police on Tuesday continued  looking for a man who swam across a creek after leading them on a car chase Sunday through Guilford Township, Pa. State police identified the man as Jaime Hernandez Velaquez, 25, address unavailable. Police said they started chasing a vehicle, which they alleged was driven by Velaquez, at about 3:25 a.m. as it was driven through Chambersburg, Pa. The pursuit continued south on U.S. 11, where the vehicle turned onto side streets and eventually crashed on Feaster Road.

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. --Two children who were riding in a car that was being chased by police Friday were flown to hospitals for treatment after the driver crashed into a metal sign pole in front of a restaurant on Lincoln Way East near Chambersburg, Pa., according to Pennsylvania State Police. Trooper Ed Asbury said a girl was flown by helicopter to Hershey (Pa.) Medical Center and a boy was flown to The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. The driver was taken to York (Pa.) Hospital, police said.

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. -- A car being chased by police south on Interstate 81 from Maryland into West Virginia early Saturday ended at a rest area inside the West Virginia line, where a passenger in the car ran into a wooded area, according to a press release from the West Virginia State Police. Maryland State Police detained the driver of the car, who was identified as Louis Mills, 24, of Martinsburg, according to the release. The passenger, who was later found on U.S. 11 and Tabernacle Way, was identified as Joshua Helman, 18, of Waynesboro, Pa., the release said.

Hagerstown Police tased a man Sunday night after he fled from a traffic stop, leading police on a chase in his vehicle and then on foot, Officer Langley Dean said. The chase began at about 9:14 p.m. when Dean attempted to stop a vehicle for driving 66 mph in a 25 mph zone in the 100 block of South Burhans Boulevard, he said. The driver fled, picking up speed, and turned onto Salem Avenue, Dean said. He made another turn onto an alley, then bailed out of the car as he approached the AC&T at Cook Street and North Burhans Boulevard, Dean said.

WAYNESBORO, Pa. - An autopsy performed Wednesday found that Robert L. Bennett Jr. died of multiple blunt force trauma, according to Franklin County (Pa.) Coroner Jeffrey R. Conner. Bennett, 57, of 27 Cleveland Ave., crashed a 1996 Pontiac Grand Prix during a police pursuit at about 1:40 a.m. Tuesday. He was pronounced dead a half-hour later at Waynesboro Hospital. Conner said results from toxicology tests will take approximately six to eight weeks. Washington Township police released no new information Wednesday about the accident, which ended in the parking lot of the former Big Apple Market on Pa. 16. Police previously said Bennett lost control on a curve, hit a metal post and collided with a vehicle parked in the lot. Washington Township police and the county coroner's office are the only two agencies investigating the circumstances, a police spokeswoman said Wednesday.

An attempt by police and drug agents to take a Hagerstown man into custody Wednesday evening sparked a brief car chase, a collision with a police vehicle, a foot chase and an attempted home invasion before the man was apprehended, police said. James Raymond Farmer, 29, of 143 Wakefield Road, was charged with felony possession of cocaine, attempted burglary, resisting arrest, attempted breaking and entering and related traffic offenses. A charge of distribution of cocaine stemmed from a July 16 ongoing investigation, police said.