Crime

Serial speedster? Man evades capture after high-speed police chase in rural Centre County

June 18, 2025, update: Kalvin J. Showalter was sentenced June 17 by Centre County Judge Julia Rater to two to four years in state prison and six years of probation. He was required to write an apology letter to two troopers, must complete anger management counseling and complete 10 days of community service. He pleaded guilty to felony counts of aggravated assault and fleeing an officer, as well as a misdemeanor count of agricultural vandalism and a summary charge of driving with a suspended license. Eight charges were dropped.

An arrest warrant was issued last week for a man accused of leading state police at Rockview on a pursuit that exceeded 100 mph, ramming a police cruiser, nearly hitting a trooper and driving through a farm field.

It’s one of three times in the past six years that Kalvin J. Showalter, 31, of Union County, has been accused of leading police on a high-speed chase in central Pennsylvania.

A defense lawyer was not listed and a voicemail left Tuesday for Showalter was not immediately returned.

Showalter was driving 105 mph when troopers attempted to stop him about 2 a.m. April 6 along state Route 45 in rural Gregg Township, police wrote in an affidavit of probable cause made available to the Centre Daily Times on Tuesday.

Rather than stop, police wrote that Showalter led them on a nearly three-mile pursuit that included him driving 90 mph in a 35 mph zone. He also drove a 2003 Dodge Ram pickup through a farm field, which caused an estimated $250 in damage.

Troopers exited their vehicle and told Showalter to stop, but he accelerated in reverse, nearly hit a trooper and crashed into a cruiser, police wrote. It caused upward of $7,000 in damage.

He escaped after he drove through a narrow opening, police wrote.

Two days later, state police at Milton said Showalter used the same pickup to lead troopers on a high-speed, four-mile pursuit in Union County. He evaded that set of troopers when ladders and tools from his trailer flung onto and blocked the road, police wrote.

His truck was found stuck in the woods about a mile away, police wrote. Troopers have not found him as of Tuesday.

Showalter is white, 6 feet tall, weighs about 180 pounds and has brown hair. A state police spokesman told the CDT he did not have a photo of Showalter. He encouraged anyone with information to call 814-355-7545.

Showalter pleaded guilty to one felony for a similar 2018 pursuit in Union County. He was sentenced to 30 days of house arrest and 90 days of electronic monitoring as part of his three years of probation.

The pair of outstanding allegations charged Showalter with six felonies, including counts of aggravated assault, fleeing and criminal mischief. He was also charged with three misdemeanors and 16 summary traffic violations.

This story was originally published April 16, 2024 at 2:22 PM.

Bret Pallotto
Centre Daily Times
Bret Pallotto primarily reports on courts and crime for the Centre Daily Times. He was raised in Mifflin County and graduated from Lock Haven University.
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