One charge dropped for man accused in police pursuit crash
One of two aggravated assault charges was dropped for a Windber man accused of leading police on a pursuit.
Anthony Jacob Ott, 34, allegedly gave police a false name before fleeing in October, causing a crash.
Cpl. Brian Mears pulled Ott over in a traffic stop, and Ott allegedly told him his name was Tony Distefano. Mears asked Ott to step out of the car when he saw there was no record of the name, and Ott allegedly sped away.
Mears called for backup. Trooper Anthony Sayles pursued Ott’s vehicle down Route 119. Police said Ott was driving about 80 mph, and passed two vehicle in the oncoming lane of traffic.
When Sayles attempted to turn left onto Arch Bridge Road, a black sedan turned into the trooper’s path. No injuries were reported. The police vehicle sustained disabling damage.
Mears terminated the pursuit.
Two Connellsville police officers allegedly spotted Ott’s vehicle near the shopping plaza on Route 201, where he fled again.
He allegedly abandoned his vehicle near Witter Avenue in Connellsville. His girlfriend, Jennifer Donaldson, lived nearby. She told police Ott took her car without permission.
Donaldson consented to a search of her house, which was briefly surrounded by police. Ott was taken into custody. Police said they found 12 stamp bags of heroin in the car he was driving, along with his state identification.
He will face charges of aggravated assault, escape, false identification, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, unauthorized use of motor vehicles, three counts of reckless endangerment and two counts of flight in the Fayette County Court of Common Pleas.
He is held in Fayette County Prison on a $50,000 bond.