Man arrested after high-speed pursuit from Cheswick to Hempfield
Oct. 1—A homeless man accused of stealing a car in Hempfield led police on a 40-mile chase at speeds of more than 100 mph Wednesday before he abandoned the vehicle and was arrested near the Pennsylvania Turnpike's New Stanton interchange, officers said.
Thomas W. Lee, 38, whose last known address is Virginia Beach, Va., is accused of intentionally steering the stolen 2013 Nissan Altima sedan into a state trooper's car along the turnpike in Hempfield as he attempted to flee pursuing police units, according to court papers.
Lee was arraigned on 20 various criminal and traffic charges including aggravated assault with a vehicle while DUI, aggravated assault on a police officer, careless driving, fleeing and eluding, possession of marijuana, providing false identification, receiving stolen property and resisting arrest.
Trooper Zachary Wolford said troopers were called to Greengate Centre Plaza just before 7 p.m. Wednesday for a report of a stolen vehicle. According to Wolford, the female owner of the Nissan went into a pizza shop in the plaza, but when she returned, her car was missing from the lot.
State police canvassed the area and issued an alert for the stolen car.
About two hours later, just after 9 p.m., Wolford said that state troopers received word that Allegheny Valley police had spotted the vehicle being driven in Cheswick and Springdale Township in Allegheny County. Troopers were told the stolen vehicle had entered the turnpike at the Harmar interchange and police were pursuing it eastbound.
Police allege that Lee was driving the car at speeds of more than 105 mph on the turnpike and troopers picked up the pursuit as he approached the Irwin interchange.
Wolford said in court documents that Lee exited the turnpike in Irwin, turned on Route 30 east before abruptly turning left across the highway into an unnamed shopping plaza and headed westbound on Route 30.
Wolford reported Lee reentered the turnpike, heading eastbound, into Hempfield Township where, at 9:25 p.m. "Lee intentionally swerved to the right from the left lane of travel and struck the driver's side of Trooper (Troy) Faulk's vehicle."
Wolford said Lee was traveling 100 mph at the time of the collision, but Faulk was able to maintain control of his vehicle.
Troopers deployed spike trips on the toll road to deflate the tires of Lee's vehicle and he veered off the highway over an embankment into a grassy stone culvert around milepost 79, where he ran from the scene.
Wolford said Lee jumped a fence near Slope Hollow Road, where troopers utilized a Taser on him with "minimal effect."
Troopers were able to physically take him into custody after a second Taser was deployed, Wolford said.
Although, according to online dockets, the complaints filed Thursday against Lee are the first in Pennsylvania, Wolford said Lee has a criminal record in six other states.
Troopers said Lee gave police a false identification after his arrest, but he was positively identified through a fingerprint scan.
Lee was ordered held in the county prison in Hempfield Thursday after failing to post $250,000 bond. His preliminary hearing is Oct. 8.
Paul Peirce is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Paul at 724-850-2860, ppeirce@triblive.com or via Twitter .
