Man allegedly led state police on chase, breaking speed of 120 miles per hour on I-376
A local man is facing more than a dozen charges including three felonies after state police say he led them on a chase, breaking a speed of 120 miles per hour.
It started late Monday night when troopers say they spotted a car reported stolen out of Aliquippa. They followed the stolen black Ford Fusion from Mill Street to Interstate 376 East.
Documents show troopers tried to stop the car in Hopewell Township but failed. They say the driver, 18-year-old Michael Eugene Brown, fled, reaching speeds of more than 120 miles per hour.
They say Brown got off the Hopewell exit and back onto the highway. This time, the car traveled in the same direction but in the wrong lanes, traveling east on the westbound side.
According to the complaint, Brown drove the wrong way until he reached the Flaugherty Run exit in Moon Twp.
“All the people he could’ve killed. Just... Babies, people, it’s crazy! It’s crazy that somebody nowadays would go and do that,” Kim Sirota said. She lives near Mill Street where the chase began.
Eventually, spike strips were used. The strips disabled both Brown’s vehicle and a police cruiser. He was eventually arrested in Robinson Township near The Pointe and taken back to Beaver County for a drug test.
Police say they found a loaded semi-automatic pistol and marijuana in the car.
“That’s not a good road to be traveling that fast on. But, if he was in trouble, he was being chased. So, what else is he going to do?” Helen Sutton said. She lives in the Aliquippa area.
Brown faces a total of 16 charges. The three felonies are receiving stolen property, fleeing and eluding police, and carrying a gun without a license. His preliminary hearing is set for August 8.
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