Courts.
Christopher Gonzalez, 20, of North Wales, fled from a car after a police chase in May.
A North Wales man arrested in Bristol Township in May in a stolen vehicle incident on charges of felony receiving stolen property, an associated conspiracy allegation, and corruption of minors pleaded guilty to evading arrest in July, was sentenced to a year in jail, and was immediately given parole due to time served.
A routine traffic stop turned into a police chase the morning of May 20 when Christopher Gonzalez, 20, fled a Levittown gas station, leading to an arrest and the recovery of a stolen vehicle, police said.
However, the misdemeanor corruption of minors charges and the felony receiving stolen property charge were withdrawn at a June 5 preliminary hearing, per court records.
The felony receiving stolen property offense was also changed to misdemeanor unauthorized use of a motor vehicle at the preliminary.
On July 23, Gonzalez eventually pleaded guilty to misdemeanor evading arrest on foot in a pre-trial negotiation before Bucks County Common Pleas Judge Stephen a Corr. He was sentenced to one year in Montgomery County jail, but was granted immediate parole due to credit for time served since May 20, 2024, according to court documents. Corr also ordered Gonzalez to repay $5,811.02 in restitution to the victim.
Gonzalez was detained at the intersection of Parkside Circle and Plumbridge Drive, police said.
Authorities said the incident began around 3:15 a.m. at the Exxon gas station at the intersection of New Falls Road and Bristol-Oxford Valley Road. A Bristol Township police officer attempted to stop a white Kia Soul in the parking lot when the driver suddenly accelerated, fleeing down New Falls Road and into the nearby Plumbridge neighborhood.
The pursuit ended on Parkside Circle, where five people exited the vehicle and scattered in different directions, police said.
The vehicle was found with significant damage to its steering and ignition and was abandoned by the suspects, police said. Officers quickly responded and set up a perimeter around the area.
Footage from an officer’s car captured Gonzalez exiting the rear passenger side and running onto adjacent property, police said.
Gonzalez, who was later found to have been wearing a distinctive black hooded sweater with shark teeth design, is believed to have been inside the stolen Kia Soul along with a juvenile and the others, police said, lodging the corruption of minors charge against him.
The recovered Kia was valued at about $9,000 was reported stolen from nearby Mill Drive, police said.
The owner of the vehicle told officers she had not given permission for her vehicle to be used, police said.
Officers reportedly found the shark-tooth sweater discarded behind a residence on Parkside Circle.
The property owner of the Parkside Circle home where the sweater was found confirmed that Gonzalez did not have permission to enter the premises, police said.
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