Mahanoy City man jailed after Tamaqua crash

David Killins, 34, of Mahanoy City, was lodged in the Schuylkill County prison in Pottsville after fleeing police in Tamaqua on Sept. 22.

Killins was driving a gold Chrysler southbound on Route 309, in the area of the Speedway station, at 8:35 a.m. when he caught the attention of an officer monitoring traffic. The Chrysler’s inspection had expired in March, so the officer pulled out to conduct a traffic stop, with the cruiser’s lights flashing.

Killins and a passenger in his car both looked back and saw the pursuing cruiser. Killins refused to stop.

Instead, as the car approached the intersection with Route 443 in South Tamaqua, Killins unfastened his seat belt as he pulled in to the parking lot at Romig’s Auto Repair. Driving toward the back of the lot, Killins left the car in drive, opened the driver’s door, jumped out and began to run.

The Chrysler, with the passenger still inside, crashed into a concrete block and metal pole, bending the pole to the ground.

As Killins ran north in the traffic lanes of Route 309, the officer chased him. Killins was brought to a stop along the shoulder of the road.

He was arraigned before duty District Judge James Reiley, of Pottsville, on charges of fleeing law enforcement, accidents involving damage to attended property, disorderly conduct, criminal mischief, careless driving, failure to signal, operating a vehicle with an invalid inspection and driving with a suspended license.

Bail was set at $20,000 straight cash, which Killins was unable to post.