Sep 18, 2015 2 min read

A Peters Township man was arrested Thursday night after he allegedly fled from state troopers during a traffic stop in Washington.

Jeremy Matthew Lee, 28, of 1004 Old Washington Road, McMurray, was stopped about 10 p.m. after he reportedly was seen making an illegal left turn from Jefferson to Hall Avenue in a no-turning lane. The trooper stopped the vehicle near the intersection of West Walnut Street and Hall.

Police said they approached the vehicle and smelled marijuana. The driver was identified and Lee, who was a passenger in the back seat, allegedly gave police a false name and birth date. Police said he appeared nervous and would not look directly at the trooper, so he was removed from the vehicle to further investigate his identity.

Troopers directed Lee to sit next to the police cruiser. The driver also was removed from the vehicle. Police said the driver initially refused to give police permission to search the vehicle until he was told a drug-sniffing dog would be brought to the scene.

When Lee was told he was going to be charged with false reports, he allegedly started to run from two troopers in the direction of Washington High School.

He was caught in the school’s parking lot.

Inside the vehicle, police said they found a loaded .38-caliber Taurus handgun under the seat in front of where Lee was sitting. Troopers said they also found suspected marijuana, scales and other paraphernalia near where Lee was sitting in the car.

Lee was arraigned before District Judge Jay Weller on charges of escape, resisting arrest, false identification to police, firearms not be carried without a license and possession of marijuana and paraphernalia. He was placed in Washington County Jail on $25,000 bond. A preliminary hearing is set for Sept. 30 before District Judge Robert Redlinger.