SCHUYLKILL COUNTY, PA – A high speed chase that traveled throughout the middle of Schuylkill County ended Tuesday night in Frackville.
According to a press release issued by the Pottsville Police Department, the chase initiated around 10:15 PM after a red Chrysler 300 nearly struck an unmarked police vehicle on a special assignment on Mauch Chunk Street. A marked patrol unit spotted the acting vehicle parked in the middle of the road in the 400 Block of East Market Street which then took off onto North George Street as the officer approached the vehicle. The officer took pursuit using lights and sirens in an attempt to stop the vehicle which was now heading North on State Route 61. Due to the suspect driving recklessly, the Pottsville Police disengaged the chase to protect the safety of other motorists. The information and description of the vehicle was passed along to police units in the Northern end of the County.
Around 10:30 PM, Pottsville Police were notified that Mahanoy City Police and Frackville Police had located the suspect vehicle. Bystanders in Frackville told Fire & Film that police units chased the vehicle throughout the Altamont section of West Mahanoy Twp. and Frackville before the vehicle crashed at the intersection of Pine and Balliet Streets in Frackville.
Onlookers said the driver of the vehicle fled down an embankment and was followed by multiple police officers who quickly put the suspect into custody. A Frackville Ambulance was summoned to the scene to evaluate the suspect who was identified by the Pottsville Police as Josh Hickey of Pottsville.
Pottsville Police were given permission to search to vehicle and located synthetic marijuana packaged for sale, a digital scale, US currency and several drug paraphernalia items.
Hickey was then walked from the scene to a waiting Pottsville Police cruiser. Hickey was arraigned by Magistrate Ferrier, Orwigsburg, who set bail at $15,000 on charges of Fleeing or Attempting to Elude Police, Possession with Intent to Deliver a Controlled Substance, Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and other traffic violations. He was remanded to the Schuylkill County Prison.
Police units from West Mahanoy Township and Shenandoah were also on the scene in Frackville.
