CLARION, Pa. (EYT) – A Sligo man wanted on a warrant in Clarion County was taken into custody after a police chase involving officers from several agencies ended followimg a foot pursuit through the woods.

According to a criminal complaint, police apprehended Christopher Lee McSwain, 28, of Sligo, after a vehicle chase through portions of Reinhard Villages and Clarion Borough and a pursuit through a wooded area near Clarion Elementary School.

Sheriff’s Deputies Receive Report, Vehicle Pursuit Ensues

Around 11:05 a.m. on August 10, Clarion County Sheriff’s deputies received information that McSwain was driving a specific vehicle north along Route 66 toward Clarion Borough. McSwain had an active Clarion County Domestic Relations bench warrant, the complaint indicates.

Deputies spotted McSwain’s vehicle near Mays Road traveling northbound and noted a man with a baseball cap on was driving with a woman in the passenger seat. Police activated emergency lights, turned around, and pursued the vehicle, passing two other vehicles who moved to the side for them, the complaint states.

The vehicle slowed and moved to the right as it got to a point near the entrance to Reinhard Villages, with a sheriff’s vehicle directly behind it, then moved into the travel lane again, making a quick left turn into Reinhard Villages and cutting off a pickup truck causing it to come to an abrupt stop to avoid a collision, the complaint continues.

Police pursued the vehicle, which allegedly reached speeds of more than 50 miles per hour as it looped through Reinhard Villages while “the driver showed no regard for the safety of others…disregard(ing) every stop sign and speed bump and traveled through the residential area at unsafe speeds,” the complaint states.

Police never lost sight of the vehicle, but weren’t able to keep up with it because of its speed, and the vehicle disregarded a stop sign and turned back onto Route 66 and headed north into Clarion Borough. Police pursued the vehicle along Greenville Avenue, where it turned left onto Corbett Street. Police lost visual contact with the vehicle as it rounded a corner along Corbett Street, according to the complaint.

The pursuit continued into the school zone near Clarion Elementary, where police noted the yellow lights and 15 miles per hour sign were activated. Police saw the vehicle stopped along the left side of the road near the entrance to Clarion Elementary, with its drivers side door open and a girl getting out of the passenger side, the complaint continues.

McSwain Allegedly Flees into Woods, Search Ensues

Police detained the girl and asked which way McSwain fled, with the girl indicating south into the woods near the Elementary School. Some deputies pursued into the woods, while another stayed with the girl and observed a baseball cap in the direction the driver had fled. The girl said McSwain was wearing a gray hoodie and black sweatpants, the complaint indicates.

Clarion County Sheriff’s Deputies received help to set up a perimeter and search from Clarion Borough Police, Pennsylvania State Police, Clarion University Police. McSwain was allegedly found hiding in the brush near the elementary school around 12:39 p.m., the complaint states.

McSwain was walked out of the woods and had a facial injury. He was taken to the emergency room before being released to police custody. Prior to going to the emergency room, McSwain allegedly told Clarion Borough Police Officer William Peck IV that “Domestic Relations always screws him over and he knew there was a warrant for his arrest, and that’s why he ran,” the complaint states.

McSwain allegedly admitted to Peck he was the driver of the vehicle, the complaint continues.

DUI, Unauthorized Vehicle Charges

Peck allegedly smelled an odor of alcohol on McSwain’s breath and confronted him on how much he’d had to drink and McSwain “stated he was up all night partying and drinking, and he had not went to sleep yet,” according to the complaint.

Police ran the license plate of the vehicle, which was registered to a Butler woman and observed the vehicle had no state inspection sticker and no wiper blades. Peck later learned from Butler State Police who took a report of a stolen vehicle from the owner, who had it at the home of another man who was supposed to be working on it, so it could pass inspection, the complaint indicates. The woman said she did not give McSwain permission to operate the vehicle, the complaint states.

Peck was able to identify the passenger as a 17-year-old girl, who told him she was yelling at McSwain to stop, and he finally did and ran into the woods. The girl said McSwain had been drinking “a couple beers” while driving from another man’s house, and police allegedly observed a can of beer in the middle console and an empty can on the floor of the vehicle, the complaint indicates.

McSwain submitted a blood sample while at the hospital, which allegedly revealed his blood alcohol content to be .173 percent, the complaint continues.

According to online court documents, McSwain was arraigned at 9:52 a.m. on August 28 before District Judge Duane Quinn.

He faces the following charges:

• Fleeing or attempting to elude an officer, third-degree felony
• DUI, misdemeanor
• DUI: General Impairment/Incompetent of Driving Safely — 1st Offense, Misdemeanor
• DUI: Highest Rte of Alcohol (BAC .16+) 1st Offense, Misdemeanor
• Recklessly endangering another person, second-degree misdemeanor
• Unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, second-degree misdemeanor
• Driving while operating privilege is suspended or revoked, summary
• Driving at unsafe speeds, summary
• Reckless driving, summary
• Duties at a stop sign, summary
• Failure to signal while turning left, summary
• Operating a vehicle without a valid inspection, summary
• Improper wiper blades, summary

Unable to post $5,000.00 cash bail, he remains in the Clarion County Jail.

A preliminary hearing has been set for 10:30 a.m. on September 8 with Judge Quinn presiding.