Two men were captured after fleeing from Pennsylvania State Police following a car chase that went from Philadelphia to Bristol Township, authorities said.
A Pennsylvania State Police trooper noted in court papers that he began following a Kia Optima driving Monday morning around 12:04 a.m. on northbound I-95 without headlights near the Castor Avenue ramp in Philadelphia.
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After spotting the vehicle without its lights, the trooper activated his car’s emergency lights and siren, state police said.
While attempting to stop the Kia, the car made no attempt to pull over and increased its speed, eventually going in excess of 125 mph, state police said.
The chase continued into Bucks County and went off the Bristol Township exit.
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The Kia ended up on Veterans Highway (Route 413) and then turned right onto Rockview Drive, crashing into a stone wall at the Bristol Garden Apartments’ leasing office, state police said.
The driver – John Andrew Cope, 30, of Philadelphia – fled the vehicle. He ran onto Veterans Highway before complying with trooper orders and being placed into handcuffs, state police said.
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The passenger – Aram Dejesus, 39, of Philadelphia – fled into the Bristol Garden Apartments before being tackled by a trooper, state police said.
Troopers said they found heroin paraphernalia and seven bags of suspected heroin in the Kia.
The Kia, which was stolen out of Wildwood, New Jersey, was found to have a license plate taken from a Falls Township vehicle, state police said.
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Troopers alleged that Cope was under the influence once they came into contact with him and he may have used heroin.
Cope was arraigned on charges of receiving stolen property, fleeing an officer, possession of a controlled substance, DUI, resisting arrest, possession of drug paraphernalia, and several summary traffic tickets. He was sent to the Bucks County Correctional Facility on 10 percent of $75,000.
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Dejesus was charged with resisting arrest and fleeing an officer. He was arraigned and sent to prison on 10 percent of $30,000 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.
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