Couple charged in high-speed chase from Dunbar to Ohiopyle
A Uniontown couple was charged Tuesday for allegedly leading police on a high-speed, 20-mile chase from Walmart in Dunbar Township to Ohiopyle Borough.
Chelsey Deziray Johnson, 24, of Christmas Street and William Lee Brown, 25, of Dixon Boulevard were spotted at about 5:20 p.m. by an off-duty state police trooper who knew they had active bench warrants in Fayette County.
Johnson allegedly fled state police at high speeds, driving through the yard of a car wash and continuing onto Route 711 from West Crawford Avenue at about 80 miles per hour. The pursuit continued into Normalville, exceeding speeds of 100 miles per hour and onto Route 381 through Ohiopyle. There, a state police trooper deployed spike strips in an attempt to stop the vehicle. Johnson allegedly swerved toward the trooper to avoid hitting the spike strips, nearly hitting him. State police used a pursuit intervention technique maneuver to stop the vehicle, according to court paperwork.
Brown allegedly resisted arrest, requiring state police to extricate him from the vehicle using “substantial force,” court documents said. The chase lasted about 26 minutes.
Johnson is charged with hindering apprehension, flight, fleeing officers, reckless endangerment and resisting arrest. Brown is charged with flight and resisting arrest.
They were both arraigned Tuesday by on-call Magisterial District Judge Michael Metros. Johnson is lodged in Fayette County Prison in lieu of a $75,000 bond, and Brown is lodged in Fayette County Prison in lieu of a $25,000 bond.
Charges were filed before Magisterial District Judge Richard A. Kasunic II.