Police: Meadville man ran during arrest, tossed drugs

Mike Crowley, The Meadville Tribune, Pa.
·3 min read

Nov. 5—A partially obscured license plate, along with a driver's lack of a valid license and improper stop, set the stage for a foot pursuit of a Meadville man who police said ran in the midst of an arrest and tossed a bag of crack cocaine into a nearby yard, according to the probable cause affidavit filed in the case.

Jonathan Mathew White, known by the nickname "J-Rock," according to police, was held for court following a preliminary hearing Thursday before Magisterial District Justice Samuel Pendolino.

White, who police said did not have a valid license at the time, pulled a gray Land Rover into a driveway in the 400 block of Randolph Lane just before 1 a.m. Sept. 25, according to the affidavit.

Officers who had recognized him as the driver were close behind, having observed him failing to stop for a stop sign moments earlier. Police also noted in the affidavit that part of the vehicle's license plate was obscured by a plate cover. Specifically, according to the criminal complaint that accompanied the affidavit, the license plate cover prevented an officer "from identifying what state the vehicle was registered to."

The vehicle was eventually determined to have a Pennsylvania license plate, according to the criminal complaint.

A state appellate court ruled in August that state law prohibits drivers from obscuring a license plate "in any manner." If part of the plate is obscured — even if it's the web address of the state website that runs along the bottom of standard plates — police have probable cause to conduct a traffic stop.

After White parked in the driveway, according to the affidavit, he ignored police orders to remain in the vehicle then took off around the house.

White stopped running after a brief pursuit involving a K-9 officer, police said in the affidavit. As White, laying on the ground, was being arrested, he got up and ran again and headed toward a line of trees in the 700 block of Kennedy Street, about 200 yards southwest of where he had been stopped.

Officers, their guns drawn because White had allegedly reached for something in his waist band, found him hiding among the trees and arrested and handcuffed him, according to the affidavit. A subsequent search of the area led to the discovery of a bag containing nearly 8 grams of crack cocaine, according to police. Officers said they also found more than $3,000 and a digital scale with cocaine residue on it on White.

White faces felony charges of possession with intent to deliver and flight to avoid apprehension. He also faces misdemeanor charges of possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and resisting arrest and summary traffic offenses for stop signs and yield signs, drivers required to be licensed and display of registration plate.

White remains in Crawford County jail in lieu of $50,000 bond. A trial will be scheduled for the March term of Crawford County Court of Common Pleas.

Mike Crowley can be reached at (814) 724-6370 or by email at mcrowley@meadvilletribune.com.