Man charged with firing shots during car chase
A North Strabane Township man was taken into custody early Tuesday on a warrant obtained by state police after he allegedly fired shots at a fleeing sport-utility vehicle during a chase on interstates 70 and 79 the previous afternoon.
Donald Lee Wright Jr., 26, of 476 Ross Road, Eighty Four, is charged with three counts each of aggravated assault, simple assault and reckless endangerment and one count of criminal mischief.
A Houston woman was driving a sport-utility vehicle while Wright was reportedly arguing on a cellphone with a 34-year-old Houston woman who was one of two passengers at about 3:30 p.m. Monday. As the woman’s vehicle traveled on West Chestnut Street near McCarrell Avenue in Washington, Wright’s vehicle reportedly pulled behind them and started to follow.
The woman continued through the West End, getting onto Interstate 70 east at the Jessop Place exit with Wright’s vehicle still behind hers. As she drove in the left lane of the highway, Wright’s vehicle allegedly pulled next to hers, state police said, and Wright allegedly shot at her vehicle two times. The first shot hit the right rear wheel, police said. The second shot hit the right front tire of the sport utility vehicle, causing the tire to blow out.
Police said the woman drove north onto I-79 before turning around just past the north junction of the two highways. Wright continued north on I-79, police said. Police obtained a warrant for his arrest signed by District Judge Traci McDonald,
Wright was arraigned before McDonald and placed in Washington County jail on $30,000 bond. He is scheduled for a Nov. 14 preliminary hearing before District Judge David Mark.