Westmoreland sheriff's deputies nab suspect in 3 road rage collisions

Renatta Signorini, Tribune-Review, Greensburg, Pa.
·2 min read

Feb. 15—A Rostraver man accused in three road rage collisions was arrested Monday after sheriff's deputies said he fled from them at about 70 mph in a 35 mph zone, according to court papers.

Deputies were searching Friday morning for Jason Michael Walters, 40, in connection with a bench warrant in the 2020 court case related to the road rage crashes on Route 30 near Adamsburg. Authorities said they learned Walters was staying in Rostraver and, after searching a home there, spotted him driving a car nearby on Vernon Drive, according to court papers.

He is accused of running a stop sign and fleeing from deputies as they turned around to make a traffic stop.

"The vehicle was swerving on bends and nearly lost control several times," Deputy John Dixon wrote in court papers.

The chase moved onto Route 51 and was terminated when Walters swerved around stopped vehicles and turned onto a side road, according to court papers. A female pedestrian said Walters let her out of the passenger seat during the chase. She reported to authorities that Walters learned deputies were looking for him and that he had been staying at a home between West Newton and Sutersville.

They later found his car with a flat tire near a trail across the Youghiogheny River in Elizabeth Township, Allegheny County. Witnesses told police he was seen on the trail on foot, according to court papers.

After issuing a be-on-the-lookout alert Monday, deputies said they apprehended Walters entering the Westmoreland County courthouse. Dixon said authorities got information that Walters was headed to the Public Defender's Office in an effort to avoid arrest on the new charges.

He is charged with flight to avoid apprehension, fleeing from police, reckless endangerment and reckless driving. He was denied bail and is being held at the Westmoreland County Prison. A preliminary hearing is set for Feb. 27.

Walters is awaiting trial in the August 2020 road rage case. He had been free on $25,000 bail. State police accuse him of speeding on Route 30 in Hempfield and crashing into three motorists. He was tracked down through his license plate.

Renatta Signorini is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Renatta by email at rsignorini@triblive.com or via Twitter .