Apparent police chase leads to two crashes, shots fired
Roberto M. Esquivel/ĢƵ
Dozens of police officers responded Thursday afternoon to a man who was reportedly fleeing police and to shots fired. The driver allegedly caused two crashes in the southern part of Fayette County. ĢƵ digital reporter Roberto Esquivel talks with a victim involved in one of the crashes and updates us on other details in this HS News Extra report.
Dozens of police officers responded to the scene of two crashes Thursday afternoon where a man who was reportedly fleeing police allegedly caused two crashes in southern Fayette County.
The fleeing suspect reportedly hit a womanĢƵ vehicle on Morgantown Street in Fairchance, sending her vehicle careening into a pole by the borough building on West Church Street. Shots were fired after the crash, officials said. The woman, Jan Krupa of Smithfield, was not injured.
She said she was driving to Shop ‘n Save when she approached the intersection.
“I saw something black flash across me and it hit me like a ton of bricks,” she said.
The vehicle hit her on the driverĢƵ side.
“He was coming so fast, it was like he was flying,” she said.
Krupa said she heard numerous shots fired.
Fairchance firefighter Robert Miller said he heard the shots from his house nearby.
“Sounded like firecrackers,” he said. “You couldn’t count them when it started.”
State police marked shell casings with dozens of evidence tents on and around the road.
The chase continued down Route 857 (Morgantown Road) in Georges Township where the vehicle crashed at the intersection with Chess Road. A man in the vehicle was put into an ambulance at the scene. He was transported to Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown, West Virginia. His condition was not released.
State police are investigating the incident. Uniontown police, Southwest Regional Police and Fairchance Borough police were also on the scene. Several fire departments assisted at both scenes. District Attorney Rich Bower also responded. He did not comment on the investigation Thursday afternoon.


