Schuylkill man flees police, crashes, end up in prison

A Schuylkill County man fled police, led them on a high-speed chase and then crashed his vehicle into tree.

State police at Schuylkill Haven identified the suspect as Michael Keefer, 57, of Schuylkill Haven, in the

incident that occurred on Wednesday afternoon.

A trooper with the Troop L PACE (ProActive Criminal Enforcement) Team was conducting a proactive patrol in the Pine Grove area at 2:19 p.m. when he saw Keefer operating a 1998 Lexus along Tremont Road in Pine Grove Township with an expired registration plate on it that was assigned to another vehicle.

The trooper attempted to stop the vehicle. Keefer fled on Sweet Arrow Lake Road at a high rate of speed. The pursuit continued with speeds reaching 80 mph to Waterfall Road and then onto Pleasant Valley Road. Keefer then turned onto Frantz Road and to Flat Hill Road before losing control of his vehicle and crashing into a tree on Wild Cherry Road. At this point Keefer was taken into custody.

Keefer told troopers he fled because he knew there was an active warrant for his arrest issued to the county detectives office for aggravated assault. Keefer was found to have methamphetamine on him and told officers he had used meth before driving.

Keefer was taken to the Lehigh Valley Hospital East, Pottsville, for evaluation. He was then transported to the county prison on the active warrant.

Troopers have charged him with flight to avoid apprehension, fleeing or attempting to elude police, both felonies; and misdemeanor counts of possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving under the influence of a controlled substance, recklessly endangering another person, resisting arrest and numerous summary motor vehicle code violations.

Keefer was arraigned on those charges before District Judge Anthony Rossi, of Tremont, with bail set at $50,000. He was then returned to the county prison.