Man who led police on high-speed chase faces multiple charges

A man who led police on a high-speed chase that spanned several municipalities last month faces multiple charges.

According to the affidavit of probable cause filed by patrolman James Bonner of the Coaldale Borough Police Department:

At 12:53 a.m. Aug. 29, Bonner was monitoring traffic on Route 209 and Greenwood Street when he saw a silver Kia driving west on 209.

Bonner saw that the rear license plate light was out and pulled behind the vehicle to initiate a traffic stop.

Once Bonner activated the lights on his patrol car, the Kia began to speed up and made an abrupt turn onto Miner Street, before it turned its lights out while gaining speed on a residential road.

The vehicle disregarded the stop sign on Miner Street at Sneddon Avenue in Coaldale, as well as the stop sign on Sneddon Avenue and West Water Street (Route 209).

It then entered West Water Street, where it nearly struck a westbound vehicle, continuing to accelerate on 209 with its lights off and hitting speeds in excess of 100 mph.

Schuylkill County Dispatch advised Bonner that the vehicle had been listed as stolen out of Bethlehem.

Tamaqua police were notified of the incident and intervened on 209 in their jurisdiction.

The vehicle continued down East Broad Street at a high rate of speed, disregarding the red lights at Greenwood Street, Pine Street and Route 309, before continuing at a high rate of speed until Swatara Street, where it turned right then again onto an unknown street.

Bonner observed the vehicle swerve at a Tamaqua unit operated by officer Karl Harig, which was on a side street, and strike the vehicle on its left front fender and bumper area.

The vehicle continued to flee, and drove through a parking lot, before going back onto Broad Street headed east, where it then turned onto 309 southbound and ran three red lights.

The vehicle continued onto 309, reaching speeds in excess of 120 mph, where it then crashed in the area of 309 and Ridge Cup Drive in West Penn Township.

The driver, Jonathan Merced, 19, homeless, was then taken into custody after the vehicle had rolled several times.

Merced was patted down, and in his left front pocket was a cellphone wrapper with a white powdery substance in it, which he said was cocaine.

The substance was later tested and came back positive for cocaine.

A check revealed that Merced was wanted out of Bethlehem, and his license was suspended.

Merced was then transported back to St. Luke’s Hospital for treatment and consented to a legal blood draw.

Merced was then read his Miranda warnings, and said that he had been smoking marijuana and doing cocaine and methamphetamine prior to driving.

Merced also admitted that he fled because he knew he had a warrant, and knew the vehicle was registered as stolen.

A search of the vehicle found an envelope with $550. In addition, $200 was found on Merced, which he said was counterfeit and was given to him by his former roommate.

Merced faces charges of fleeing or attempting to elude officer; receiving stolen property; aggravated assault; simple assault; driving without lights to avoid identification or arrest; reckless driving; careless driving; duties at stop sign; possession of controlled or counterfeit substance; driving while operating privilege is suspended or revoked; and recklessly endangering another person.

He is currently incarcerated in Schuylkill County Prison in lieu of $75,000 straight bail, and is scheduled to have his preliminary hearing today before District Judge Stephen Bayer of Tamaqua.