Port Carbon Man Charged After Crashing Into Mount Carbon Arch During Police Pursuit

A Port Carbon man was arrested on numerous charges after he crashed into the Mount Carbon Arch early Tuesday morning.

Pottsville Police have charged Jacob Maldonado, 33, with a third-degree felony of fleeing or attempting to elude an officer, and misdemeanor charges of flight to avoid apprehension and DUI, along with several other summary offenses, after they say he crashed into the bridge abutment on S. Centre St. in Mount Carbon soon after 1 a.m. Tuesday.

According to an affidavit filed with District Magistrate David Plachko, Pottsville Patrolman Michael Hrebik says he was in a marked vehicle at about 1 a.m. Tuesday in the area of W. Market St.

At that time, he noticed a tan Ford F-150 pickup driving east on W. Market St. with its third brake light not working.

When the pickup turned southbound onto N. Centre St. in downtown Pottsville, Hrebik says he activated his emergency lights. That’s when the pickup, with Maldonado behind the wheel, began to accelerate.

Hrebik says he notified emergency dispatchers at Schuylkill County 9-1-1 that he was engaged in a pursuit. When the pickup passed Mahantongo and Centre streets, the Pottsville officer activated his siren.

That didn’t cause Maldonado to stop. In fact, during the height of the pursuit, Maldonado reached speeds of up to 80 mph.

As Maldonado approached the Mount Carbon Arch bridge, he attempted to brake and slow down but couldn’t make the turn under the bridge. His truck smacked nearly head-on into the concrete abutment.

Soon after impact, Hrebik says he got out of his vehicle and rushed to the pickup and got Maldonado out through the passenger side window.

While laying on the street, Maldonado identified himself by his middle name, Orlando, but police were later able to determine his true first name through a Connecticut ID in his wallet.

Police then learned that Maldonado was wanted on a parole warrant out of the state of Connecticut.

At the scene, Maldonado allegedly admitted to police that he’d been drinking. Police say they found an empty bottle of Corona in the bed of his pickup.

Maldonado was taken the Lehigh Valley Hospital-East for treatment of injuries. There, police say he submitted to a blood test and admitted to knowing about the parole warrant out of Connecticut.

He was arraigned Tuesday morning before Plachko, who remanded him to Schuylkill County Prison on $50,000 cash bail.