Aug 12, 2008 By Josh Krysak 2 min read

A Brownsville man is facing a host of charges after an all-terrain vehicle he was driving and a police cruiser collided in Redstone Township Saturday night. Redstone Township police Officer Norman L. Howard said Joseph Fitzhugh Stavley, 47, of 1214 High St. was charged with fleeing and eluding police, trespassing, disorderly conduct, criminal mischief, reckless driving, careless driving and other traffic violations following the collision on Simpson Road.

Howard said the crash occurred after he spotted a group of ATV riders pull out of a marked state Department of Transportation construction site onto Simpson Road around 9:30 p.m.

He said when the riders noticed his police cruiser behind them, the majority of them accelerated and fled.

However, Howard said Stavley appeared to slow to stop for police.

Howard said that when he slowed and approached the ATV with his vehicle, Stavley accelerated past the cruiser on the passenger side and then made a sharp turn directly in front of the car, colliding with the front, passenger side of the cruiser.

Howard said that Stavley was thrown from the ATV in the collision but immediately got up and ran into a wooded area. Howard and Officer Joe Venick gave chase.

Stavley fell down a small embankment in the woods, and struck a tree stump, where he became wedged, Howard said.

He suffered several injuries and was taken by ambulance to Monongahela Valley Hospital in Carroll Township for treatment.

While police talked to Stavley and emergency personnel worked to remove him from the woods, Howard said several of the other ATV riders returned to the scene and admitted that they were part of the group that fled police.

As a result, Howard said Jason Quick of Waynesboro, Va., along with Steven Dugan, Ann Dugan and Ray Parsins, all of Brownsville, were cited for trespassing and riding ATVs on township roads.