A Maryland man with many outstanding warrants from Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland was apprehended in a stolen vehicle during a police chase, according to law enforcement officials.
Maryland State Police are seeking new charges against Justin Burchett, 42, of Elkton, who led authorities on a chase through Maryland and Pennsylvania.
On Wednesday around 2 p.m., a trooper discovered a stolen vehicle on Route 213 in Cecil County. The 2016 Ford Focus had been reported stolen from Elkton. Police claimed the driver, later identified as Burchett, had many warrants, including one for felony assault in Pennsylvania.
Officials claimed Burchett was driving recklessly, which is consistent with intoxicated driving. Before the chase, investigators said he drove at excessive speeds, ran red lights, and passed vehicles on the shoulder, including a school bus.
A Maryland Police trooper attempted a traffic check on Burchett on Route 213 but failed to stop, resulting in a chase.
Pennsylvania State Police were contacted and dispatched several troopers to join the pursuit near the state boundary. Maryland State Police were authorised to continue the chase into Pennsylvania via Blue Ball Road.
A Maryland trooper was driving on Route 10 in Oxford, Pennsylvania, when his patrol car collided with an uninvolved minivan. According to officials, the driver of the van was not hurt. The trooper was airlifted to a nearby hospital, where he was treated and discharged.
Police resumed their hunt for Burchett, and about 4:20 p.m., Maryland troopers discovered the stolen vehicle on the 1400 block of Pulaski Highway in Havre de Grace, Maryland. The car was reversed into a parking slot, but when troopers approached, Burchett drove forward, colliding with a police vehicle and fleeing the scene.
Around 5:45 p.m., investigators discovered the stolen vehicle at a gas station on the 1200 block of Main Street in Darlington, Maryland. Troopers used their emergency equipment to contact Burchett, but he didn’t stop.
According to officials, Burchette attempted to exit the parking area in the stolen automobile, hitting the front of a Maryland police vehicle in the process. The trooper inside was uninjured.
The stolen vehicle then got disabled, and the airbags deployed.
Burchett and a female passenger were evacuated from the vehicle, and first responders arrived to assist.
Officials claimed Burchette was transferred to a local hospital, and cops guarded him until he was released.
According to officials, the passenger was freed from custody and will not face any charges.
Troopers discovered a glass smoking device inside the stolen vehicle, and a probable cause search yielded a tiny bag containing a suspected controlled drug.
The investigation is underway.
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