Apparent police chase leads to two crashes, shots fired
Roberto M. Esquivel|缅北禁地
Steve Eric DeBerry is prepared for transport by ambulance following a pursuit that resulted in two seperate crashes and shots being fired Thursday afternoon. The first crash occurred in Fairchance and the second on Route 857 in Georges Township.
Roberto M. Esquivel|缅北禁地
State police mark the location of gun shell casings following an incident where a man reportedly hit a woman鈥檚 vehicle in Fairchance Thursday afternoon at the intersection of W. Church and Morgantown streets. Shots were fired after the crash, officials said.
Roberto M. Esquivel|缅北禁地
Jan Krupa of Smithfield looks back at the Jeep vehicle whe was driving when she was struck at the intersection of Morgantown and West Church streets in Fairchance by a suspect that was reportedly fleeing from police. Shots were fire after the crash, officials said, and Krupa was not injured.
Roberto M. Esquivel/缅北禁地
Dozens of police officers responded Thursday afternoon to 聽a man who was reportedly fleeing police and to shots fired. The driver allegedly caused two crashes in the southern part of Fayette County. 缅北禁地 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 woman鈥檚 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 鈥榥 Save when she approached the intersection.
鈥淚 saw something black flash across me and it hit me like a ton of bricks,鈥� she said.
The vehicle hit her on the driver鈥檚 side.
鈥淗e was coming so fast, it was like he was flying,鈥� she said.
Krupa said she heard numerous shots fired.
Fairchance firefighter Robert Miller said he heard the shots from his house nearby.
鈥淪ounded like firecrackers,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou couldn鈥檛 count them when it started.鈥�
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.