Drivers charged in chases
Charleroi Regional police filed charges against two men stemming from separate chases, one in a vehicle that eventually crashed and the other by foot, earlier this week.
A warrant was obtained Friday from District Judge Larry Hopkins for Thelonious Wilkerson, 33, of Mercer.
Police arrested Cleotis Russell Jr., 33, of 523 First St., Charleroi, after officers were called to Rite Aid on McKean Avenue about noon Thursday.
Officer Michael Leasure tried to stop Wilkerson’s vehicle just before 5 p.m. on Ninth Street. He reportedly led police on a chase north on McKean Avenue, across the John K. Tener Bridge into Monessen.
Police said Wilkerson crashed into a curb on Route 906 before running on foot. Leasure spotted Wilkerson toss a Crown Royal bag. Wilkerson was taken into custody and the bag was recovered. Inside the bag were four-and-a-half bricks of suspected heroin. Wilkerson complained of stomach pain and was flown to Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh for treatment.
He is charged with flight to avoid apprehension, possession with intent to deliver heroin, reckless endangerment, fleeing or attempting to elude police, possession of paraphernalia and several traffic violations.
Russell fled from the drug store along with a woman who reportedly was with him. The two ran north on McKean. Police got a description of the two and spotted a man matching the description in the 600 block of Long Way. When the man, later identified as Russell, saw police, he again ran, carrying a white bag as he ignored orders by police to stop. He reportedly ran for several blocks before being caught in the 1000 block of Railroad Way. Police said he had two syringes and a metal spoon along with the items he reportedly stole from Rite Aid.
Russell also was wanted on a warrant on charges of possession of drug paraphernalia and false identification to police stemming from a Dec. 8 incident in North Charleroi. He also was charged with retail theft and possession of drug paraphernalia for Thursday’s incident. He was placed in Washington County jail on $50,000 bond.
He is scheduled for a Feb. 11 preliminary hearing before Hopkins.