Police pursuit accident linked to wanted Windber man
While in pursuit of a man who allegedly drove off from a traffic stop, a state police cruiser hit a vehicle on Route 119 Monday afternoon.
According to the affidavit of probable cause filed against Anthony Jacob Ott, Trooper Anthony Sayles was pursuing Ott’s vehicle going northbound on Route 119 when Sayles tried to turn left onto Arch Bridge Road.
While turning left, a black sedan turned into Sayles’ path, causing the vehicles to collide and disabling Sayles’ patrol car. No injuries were reported.
Cpl. Brian Mears, who had originally pulled Ott over in the parking lot of the Fayette County Fairgrounds, terminated the pursuit, according to the affidavit.
During that traffic stop, police said, Ott, 33, of Windber told Mears that his name was Tony Distefano. When Mears ran the name, he found there was no record of someone with that name and called for backup. Police said Mears again approached Ott, asking him to step out of the car, but Ott started the vehicle and sped off.
Mears observed Ott passing two other vehicles in the oncoming lane of travel while going around 80 mph, according to the affidavit. Mears stopped pursuing Ott when he lost sight of his vehicle in the area of Pechin Road, police said.
Sayles saw the vehicle a short time later, near Arch Bridge Road off of Route 119, according to the affidavit.
Following the crash, two Connellsville police officers spotted Ott’s car near the shopping plaza on Route 201, where he fled again.
Ott abandoned his vehicle in an alley off of Witter Avenue in Connellsville, near the home of his girlfriend, Jennifer Donaldson, police said.
When police contacted Donaldson, she allegedly told them that Ott was her boyfriend and had taken her car without her permission. Ott was found at her home and Donaldson consented to a search of the house.
Inside the vehicle Ott was driving, police said they found Ott’s state identification and 12 stamp bags of heroin, according to the affidavit.
Ott is charged with two counts of aggravated assault, intent to possess a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, three counts of recklessly endangering another person, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, escape, fleeing/eluding an officer, providing false identification to law enforcement and a dozen traffic violations. He remains lodged in the Fayette County Prison in lieu of $50,000 and faces a preliminary hearing on Nov.3.