Attempted traffic stop in Bellefonte leads to a chase and crash, police say

A Bellefonte man allegedly crashed his vehicle Friday while fleeing from state police in Spring Township.

According to state police at Rockview, while on patrol along Axemann Road, the trooper observed a Jeep with an inspection sticker dated May 2016. The trooper activated lights and sirens to initiate a traffic stop.

The vehicle then attempted to flee at a high rate of speed, police said, passing traffic in a posted no-passing zone on a curve. As a result, the driver was reportedly unable to maintain control of the vehicle and crashed onto private property, causing damage.

The driver was identified as Patrick L. D. Whitehill, 27, police said. He was also allegedly driving without insurance or a signed registration card.

During questioning, Whitehill stated he had taken a urine test for a possible job, police said. A plastic bottle was discovered during a search of the car, at which time Whitehill allegedly stated he had provided drug-free urine for the test because he had smoked marijuana about two weeks earlier.

Whitehill was arraigned Friday before District Judge Kelley Gillette-Walker, according to court documents, and charged with a felony count of fleeing officers; misdemeanor counts of reckless endangerment and attempting to furnish drug-free urine; and several summary traffic offenses.

Bail was set at $10,000 straight and he was bonded out of the Centre County Correctional Facility on Friday. A preliminary hearing is slated for Wednesday.

This story was originally published February 5, 2018 at 11:30 AM with the headline "Attempted traffic stop in Bellefonte leads to a chase and crash, police say."