K-9 tracks down man accused of strangling woman, leading police on chase

Patrick Buchnowski, The Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown, Pa.
·2 min read

Sep. 21—A Johnstown man was jailed on Monday, accused of strangling a woman and then leading police on a high-speed chase before ditching the vehicle near woods where a police dog sniffed him out, authorities said.

City police charged Devine Steven Andre Edwards, 27, of the 100 block of C Street, with multiple felony and misdemeanor counts stemming from two incidents on Sunday.

According to a criminal complaint, police said they were called to the C Street home at 4:20 p.m. after a woman called 911 saying she couldn't breathe. When police arrived at the residence, they found the woman with injuries to her neck. Edwards ran through the house and fled out the back door.

Police charged Edwards with strangulation, simple assault, flight and disorderly conduct.

In the second criminal complaint, Edwards allegedly burst into a home in the 1000 block of Miles Street at 8:21 p.m., where he assaulted the same woman and fought with a man inside.

Edwards allegedly fled in a Chevrolet Malibu, leading multiple police cruisers on a chase from the city into Stony- creek Township. Edwards allegedly ran several stop signs, then ditched the vehicle at Florida Avenue and Gail Street and ran into the woods.

Police K-9 Terror tracked Edwards and found him hiding under an abandoned camper in the middle of the woods.

He was charged with burglary, trespass, fleeing police, resisting arrest and similar counts.

Edwards was arraigned by on-call District Judge Michael Zungali, of Hastings, and sent to Cambria County Prison, in Ebensburg, after he failed to post 10% of $30,000 bond.

Online court records show that Edwards has a criminal record in Cambria County.

City police charged him in February 2016 with receiving stolen property and escape.

In that incident, police said they found him and two others sitting in a stolen vehicle near Solomon Homes. Police took Edwards to the police station where he reported having chest pain, according to The Tribune-Democrat archives.

Edwards was taken to Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center, where he fled from the emergency department.

Police later found him standing barefoot in a creek behind Martella's Pharmacy near Bishop McCort Catholic High School.