Greene County man arrested in cross-state police pursuit
A Greene County man is facing 145 charges or citations in connection with a cross-state police pursuit that ended Friday when he crashed a van into a state police cruiser and jumped into a river.
The West Virginia sheriff’s office took the suspect, Theodore Eugene Gibbs, 28, of Greensboro, into custody as it investigates the case because the chase ended in Monongalia County, W.Va., Pennsylvania state police said.
The pursuit began about 8 p.m. when a Greene County Regional police officer recognized Gibbs behind the wheel of a U-Haul van, knowing he was wanted for aggravated assault in Fayette County.
State police and the Greene County sheriff’s office joined the regional police department in attempting to stop the vehicle in the 200 block of Elm Drive in Franklin Township.
Police said Gibbs drove away at a high rate of speed and traveled on 12 different roadways to the state line. Gibbs is accused of passing seven vehicles and crossing yellow and white road lines 87 times.
A passenger, Erica Rutan, 49, of Waynesburg, tried to jump out of the van several times. Gibbs also allegedly nearly struck a pedestrian on Rolling Meadows Drive, police said.
Rutan suffered minor injuries when she eventually jumped out of the van in West Virginia.
District Judge Lee Watson signed a warrant for Gibbs’ arrest on charges of flight to avoid apprehension, fleeing from police and reckless endangerment, along with a string of traffic violations.