Falls man charged after cross-county chase

Lockport Union-Sun & Journal, N.Y.
·2 min read

Jun. 14—A 46-year-old Falls man was arrested Saturday night after leading several police agencies on a chase that began in the Falls and ended in Cambria.

Shortly after 7 p.m. on Saturday, Falls police tried to initiate a traffic stop on a vehicle that had been reported stolen.

The driver of the vehicle refused to yield and traveled into and through the Towns of Niagara, Lewiston and Cambria while being pursued by multiple responding law enforcement agencies. While in the Town of Cambria, the pursuit was terminated due to excessive speed and the recklessness of the suspect vehicle.

Police continued to follow and observe the vehicle from a distance as it entered the Town of Lockport. Eventually the suspect vehicle left the Town of Lockport and reentered the Town of Cambria westbound on Saunders Settlement Road while still traveling at a high rate of speed.

Niagara County Sheriff's deputies were able to set up a tire deflation device in the 3800 block of Saunders Settlement Road which was successful in disabling the suspect vehicle's tires. The vehicle's driver, John Malicoat, 46, of Niagara Falls, continued to operate the vehicle west before finally stopping on Saunders Settlement Road near Baer Road.

Malicoat was highly uncooperative with Patrols upon approach of the suspect vehicle requiring a Taser deployment. Malicoat was then taken into custody without further incident.

A Niagara County Sheriff's Deputy suffered a hand laceration during the efforts to remove Malicoat from the vehicle. The injured deputy was later treated at Eastern Niagara Hospital in Lockport and released.

Malicoat was ultimately charged with second-degree assault (D felony), fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property (E-felony), DWI, driving while ability impaired by drugs, third-degree unlawful fleeing of a police officer in a motor vehicle, reckless driving, third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation, resisting arrest, second-degree obstructing governmental administration and multiple other vehicle and traffic charges.

Deputies said Malicoat also had an outstanding out-of-state warrant, however, it was non-extraditable.