A Schuylkill County man was jailed this week after police say he led them on a high-speed chase exceeding 100 mph in a Buick LaCrosse through Orwigsburg late last month.
Logan Manness, 19, of Tamaqua, was arraigned April 8 before Magisterial District Judge Anthony Kilker on a felony count of fleeing police, as well as summary counts of speeding, reckless driving, and careless driving. He was sent to Schuylkill County Prison in lieu of $25,000 cash bail and remains there as of April 11, according to court records.
The charges stem from an incident that began shortly after 1 a.m. on March 24 when police in Orwigsburg, on patrol near W. Cherry St. and Straub Ave. began following a red Buick LaCrosse. Police say they initially decided to follow the vehicle to obtain its registration, citing the early morning hour and a recent dirt bike theft in that area.
As the vehicle passed a patrol car on a narrow section of Long Ave., police say they turned around to follow the vehicle onto W. Market St. and noticed it was traveling well over the 25 mph speed limit. When police attempted to catch up, the vehicle accelerated.
Police say they activated their emergency lights and siren, but the vehicle continued to accelerate to speeds over 60 mph in the 25 mph zone. As the car sped through the 100 block of E. Market St., it nearly struck another vehicle backing out of a parking space before turning onto N. Washington St. at a high rate of speed.
The chase continued out of Orwigsburg with the vehicle reaching speeds greater than 100 mph, police say, before police terminated the pursuit near Chestnut Rd.
Returning to the area where the vehicle was first spotted, police found fresh tire tracks and disturbed water sediment indicating a car had recently pulled out of a parking space behind a W. Market St. apartment.
Police say they spoke with witnesses at the apartment who said Manness had been parked out back and had left approximately 30 minutes earlier. Police say they positively identified Manness as the driver using his driver’s license photograph.
After speaking with a relative at Manness’s listed address in New Ringgold, police learned he resided with another relative in Tamaqua and confirmed he drove a red Buick Lacrosse.
Police stopped Manness driving that red Buick Lacrosse in Tamaqua at shortly after 2 a.m. Police noted he was visibly nervous and shaking. The vehicle’s license plate was found inside the car, which Manness told police had fallen off.
When police later questioned Manness outside his Tamaqua residence about running from Orwigsburg police earlier, he responded that he “doesn’t recall anything,” police say.
Police say they also obtained video footage from a railroad crossing in New Ringgold showing the Lacrosse traveling toward Tamaqua at about 1:15 a.m., shortly after the pursuit ended.
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