Carbon County man faces drug charges after fleeing from police

A Carbon County man allegedly fled from police on foot after they tried to arrest him for riding a motorcycle with no title or registration.

Michael Jordan Dennis, 32, of Coal Street in Lehighton, was also charged with altering registration on a motorcycle and drug charges.

According to the affidavit of probable cause filed Jim Thorpe Borough Police Department:

At 1:37 p.m. Wednesday, an officer saw Michael Dennis wearing motorcycle gear entering a garage at Walnut and School Avenue.

Dennis had a backpack, a car battery, a motorcycle helmet and tools. He became confrontational, said he was purchasing a car and wanted to see if it would start.

The officer contacted a property manager overseeing the garage, who confirmed he was selling a car to Dennis.

A detective ran the registration affixed to the green Kawasaki ZX600 and found it came back to a person from Lehighton and showed an insurance cancellation.

Dennis said he drove the motorcycle from Lehighton to Jim Thorpe.

The officer left the scene and contacted dispatchers, who said the plate was from a Honda. He suspected the motorcycle was not a Honda, so he returned to the scene.

Dennis was outside and refused to open the garage to inspect the motorcycle.

The officer attempted to place Dennis into custody but he pulled away and ran.

Dennis was then taken into custody after a brief foot chase, and police discovered a plastic sheath attached to his belt held a green fixed blade knife.

After securing the knife, the officer searched Dennis and a syringe was located in his left front pocket. The registration was located in his waistband. Inside his backpack was syringe plunger cap containing a piece of cotton suspected to have been used as a filter to draw substance into the syringe.

The detective contacted the victim and received consent to access the garage and the combination to unlock the padlock.

The detective ran the vehicle identification number on the green motorcycle and found no record in any state, so he contacted state police, and a deeper inquiry was executed.

Again, no record was found, no title, not insured and not registered in any state.

Dennis said he bought the bike off a man in Reading, and the registration plate was already affixed.

He said he used methamphetamine the night before and the syringe was used to inject the drug.

Dennis said he knew the motorcycle wasn’t titled, and that’s why he ran.

He could not explain why the registration came back to a Lehighton address, only that the seller “claimed it was his girlfriend’s.”

Dennis’ license is suspended, DUI related, and the motorcycle is not insured.

He faces charges of escape, altered/forged or counterfeit documents and plates, obstructing administration of law or other governmental function, possession of drug paraphernalia, required financial responsibility, driving while operating privilege is suspended or revoked, and registration and certificate of title required.

He is incarcerated in the Carbon County Correctional Facility in lieu of $35,000 bail, and scheduled to have a preliminary hearing at 3 p.m. Jan. 30 before District Judge Eric M. Schrantz of Jim Thorpe.