Car Chase Suspect Tells Cops He Was Driving Like The ‘Dukes Of Hazzard’

A man who Falls Township police say fled from them early Saturday morning stated he was “driving like the ‘Dukes of Hazzard,’” according to court papers.

Officer Francisco Olmeda wrote in an affidavit of probable cause that he was on patrol and spotted a vehicle driving in an unsafe manner in the area of Route 1 and the Route 32 split. The officer watched the car change lanes without signalling before it merged onto Route 13 south.

Olmeda said he turned his emergency lights on in just before the Tyburn Road exit and the driver failed to stop.

The vehicle exited Route 13 onto westbound Tyburn Road and raced toward New Falls Road. At New Falls Road, the vehicle turned and continued off at a “high rate of speed,” police said.

“The vehicle then attempted to turn onto Thornridge Pass, almost losing control of the vehicle,” Olmeda wrote. “The driver slammed on the brakes and was able to regain control.”

The police pursuit then reportedly entered the Thornridge section in Levittown before the driver turned the lights on the fleeing vehicle off, police said. The officer noted the driver lost control of the vehicle and terminated the pursuit.

Olmeda said he located the vehicle on a house on Tamarack Lane and it was still warm to the touch. The smell of worn brakes also reportedly was present.

Police said they made contact with Michael Gunkel, 38, of Falls’ Levittown section, at the house. He answered the door in his underwear and T-shirt, stating he had just woken up when his mother said she heard police at the door.

Olmeda said he noticed Gunkel had bloodshot eyes and smelled of alcoholic beverages coming from him.

According to court papers, Gunkel eventually admitted he was “sorry and did not wish to lie to us any more.”

Upon further conversation, Gunkel allegedly said he was “driving like the ‘Dukes of Hazzard,’ like he was raised.”

Gunkel was taken to Aria Health’s Bucks County campus and admitted to drinking before the pursuit. He also said he smoked weed and took cocaine three days prior to the pursuit, police said.

Gunkel was charged with fleeing and eluding police, DUI and two summary traffic violations. He was arraigned by on-call District Judge Mick Petrucci and sent to prison on 10 percent of $25,000 bail.

Editor’s Note: All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The story was compiled using information from police and public court documents.