Running a Stop sign led to a police pursuit and a confrontational arrest outside Minersville on Tuesday.
According to arrest papers filed by Minersville PD Patrolman Michael Layton-Herron on Tuesday night, the incident started around 5 p.m. in Minersville. That’s when a purple and black Dodge Dakota was traveling westbound on North St., approaching Fourth St.
The driver of that truck, later identified as Brett Killian, of Llewellyn, allegedly made the turn onto Fourth St. without coming to a complete stop at the Stop sign on North St.
Layton-Herron says in his arrest papers that he lost sight of Killian’s vehicle for a short time but later spotted it allegedly driving at a high rate of speed behind the property owned by Quandel Concrete at 9 Schaeffer Hill Rd.
At that time, the patrolman flipped on his lights and siren and gave pursuit of Killian’s vehicle.
The pursuit of Killian went to Schaeffer Hill Rd., passing Elm Rd. and Branch Rd. At about the 100-bloc of Schaeffer Hill Rd, Layton-Herron says Killing slammed on his brakes and made a turn on to a small trail that leads to an ATV trail owned by Reading Anthracite.
At that time, Layton-Herron was still not sure who was in the fleeing vehicle. He had noted that the license plate on the multi-colored Dakota was dirty and hard to read. As Killian’s vehicle approached the ATV trail, the patrolman gave pursuit on foot to get an ID on the plate.
As he did this, he says Killians put his truck in reverse. Layton-Herron told the driver to stop. He drew his gun in an attempt to get Killian to listen to his commands. That didn’t work and Killian then decided to drive forward.
That wasn’t all done in vain, however, as Layton-Herron says he was able to get an ID on the plate and noted some of the physical characteristics of the driver. He says he discontinued the vehicle pursuit to avoid damaging his patrol vehicle.
Later, Layton-Herron says video evidence materialized that showed Killian’s vehicle on Fourth St. An investigation led him and other officers to 24 Cemetery Rd., Llewellyn, where Killian’s vehicle was parked and had “fresh damage.”
Police located Killian but he “passively resisted” officers who attempted to arrest him. Killian also kept 2 pitbulls in front of him as police tried to take him into custody, the arrest papers note.
Eventually, a “conducted electrial weapon” was used on Killan and he was taken into custody. He now faces charges of fleeing or eluding police, resisting arrest, reckless driving, driving an uninspected vehicle, and other traffic charges.
