May 29, 2008 By Josh Krysak 2 min read

Uniontown police are trying to identify the driver of a sport utility vehicle involved in a high-speed pursuit in the city Monday. Officer Ray Miller said the chase occurred around 12:10 a.m. when he spotted the vehicle speeding on South Gallatin Avenue. Miller said the vehicle also was driving erratically and appeared to be trying to avoid police.

Miller said he activated his lights and siren in an attempt to pull the vehicle over, but a chase ensued on several city streets at a high rate of speed.

He said that when the vehicle approached Lenox Street, the vehicle crashed into a wall and rolled onto its side.

Miller said he then exited his patrol car as the driver tried to climb out of the wrecked vehicle.

He said he grabbed the man by his clothing and was trying to take him into custody when a passenger in the vehicle started moving, causing the vehicle to rock. Miller said the vehicle was in a precarious position and noted that he was concerned it might overturn completely.

He tried to move the driver away from the car but said he was able to break free from his grasp and flee the scene on foot.

Miller said the passenger was identified as Ezra Bell, no address available. He said Bell told police that the man was known to him only as “Rodney” and said that he had asked for a ride from Biererwood Acres in South Union Township to a bar in Uniontown when the pursuit occurred.

Bell told police that the man had joked with him as Miller initially tried to stop his vehicle and allegedly told Bell “watch this” as he began to accelerate away from police, Miller said.

Miller described the suspect as a black man in his early 20s.

The chase was the second in three days in Uniontown after an unidentified man led officers on a high-speed chase through the city Friday morning.

Officer Dave Hromada said the chase eventually ended at a business on Route 40 outside the city limits where both the unidentified driver and passenger abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot.

The driver was described as a black man, wearing all black clothing. The passenger was described as a light-skinned black woman, wearing jeans and a white T-shirt, Hromada said.

Anyone with information regarding the incidents is asked to call police at 724-439-7111.