A Philadelphia man is facing charges after he allegedly lead police on a high-speed chase and crashed into a stopped vehicle on Mainland Road in Towamencin Township.
According to the complaint, police were conducting a selective enforcement for stop sign violations at the intersection of Wambold and Mainland roads at 8:20 p.m. on Jan. 22, when a gray Jeep Grand Cherokee failed to stop at the stop sign. Police attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but vehicle accelerated away down Mainland Road, the report states.
Police said the vehicle drifted off the road and nearly struck a guiderail, but the vehicle recovered and returned to its lane of travel. With police continuing to pursue, the vehicle attempted to negotiate a curve on Mainland Road at an excessive speed, but it instead drove over a raised curb, returned to the road and struck a white Acura SUV that was stopped along the road, according to the complaint.
Though the driver of the Acura did not request an ambulance, police were later informed that the driver was treated for a neck injury at Grandview Urgent Care.
The driver of the fleeing vehicle, identified as 39-year-old Hector Gomez, was uninjured in the crash, but the complaint describes him as moving extremely slow and lethargic. Once Gomez was taken into custody, he told police that he had an issue with his brakes, police said.
The report also states that Gomez was driving on a suspended license.
Also a result of the incident, Gomez has been charged with one felony count of attempting to elude law enforcement, along with misdemeanor counts of accidents involving death or injury while not licensed and recklessly endangering another person, and summary counts of driving on a suspended license, driving at safe speed and failing to stop at a stop sign.
Gomez was arraigned by Magisterial District Judge Ed Levine, who set bail at $50,000 cash. Gomez was then remanded to the Montgomery County Correctional Facility after failing to post bail, and his next court appearance is a preliminary hearing on Jan. 31 at 10:30 a.m. in front of Judge Levine.
(Editor’s note: All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using court records and the affidavit of probable cause, and reflects the point of view of the police. Should the defendant choose to issue a public statement, or is later found not guilty or has the charges dropped, we will update this article accordingly.)
See also:
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Lansdale Man Lead Police On Chase Through Neighborhoods, Struck Two Vehicles: Police
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