A Jeannette man is charged with aggravated assault and reckless endangerment after leading troopers on a high-speed chase Friday night in Greensburg and Hempfield, state police said.
During the chase that began shortly before 10 p.m., suspect Paul Raymond Good IV, 41, crashed his Chevy Silverado pickup truck into a embankment while trying to merge onto Route 30 westbound in Hempfield, according to police.
When Good ignored a pursuing trooper’s command to get out of the stalled pickup, the trooper banged on the driver’s side window, police said.
Then Good got the pickup started and sped away, narrowly missing the trooper, who was standing beside the door.
Police said the trooper was in “imminent fear of serious bodily injury and/or death” and firedone round from his pistol at the pickup.
Good, who wasn’t struck by the gunfire, drove the wrong way on West Otterman Street in Greensburg until the pickup became disabled at the intersection of North Hamilton Avenue, police said.
Good fled on foot and initially eluded authorities. Police said they pursued leads and were able to locate and identify Good several hours later at a Greensburg residence.
Police said Good was believed to be under the influence of a controlled substance when he was taken into custody.
Good admitted to police that he was the driver of the pickup and “apologized for his actions and creating a very risky situation,” according to court documents filed by police.
He was arraigned Saturday before District Judge Chris Flanigan on charges that include fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, driving under the influence, careless driving and driving with a suspended or revoked license.
He was placed in the Westmoreland County jail after Flanigan denied bail, citing a need to protect the community and a risk that Good would flee.
A preliminary hearing is set for Sept. 28.
The chase began, police said, when Good failed to stop when a trooper attempted to pull him over for traffic violations on Klines Way in Greensburg.
