Washington man charged with stealing truck, leading police on foot chase
A Washington man is in jail after allegedly stealing a truck and leading police on a foot chase through the woods in North Franklin Township Wednesday night.
Washington police said they responded to the report of a stolen pickup truck at Washington Brewery on East Maiden Street. The truck owner, Donald Riggle of Bentleyville, is an employee of the brewery and noticed his truck missing from the parking lot just before 10 p.m. Riggle reviewed surveillance footage, on which a man could be seen trying to enter vehicles in the parking lot, then entering Riggle’s truck and driving away.
The man was later identified by police as James William Harris, 34, of 24 Hall Ave., Washington.
Police said because the truck had OnStar service, they were able to locate it in the 300 block of Scenic Drive in North Franklin Township, near a boat launch dock at the reservoir. When police arrived, they said they spotted Harris and ordered him to the ground, but he fled into a wooded area.
Five officers pursued Harris on foot, canvassing the area until just past 11 p.m., when the chase was terminated. Police said about 30 minutes later, an officer saw Harris walking in the 500 block of Franklin Farms Road, his clothes covered in mud.
Police arrested Harris and charged him with theft, resisting arrest, driving under suspension and five counts of recklessly endangering another person. Police said they found a crack pipe in the truck, which Harris denied was his. Police said the truck and the pipe will be processed for fingerprints.
Harris was arraigned Thursday morning by District Judge Ethan Ward and jailed on $50,000 bond.