A 31-year-old Levittown man surrendered to police after short chase last week, according to authorities.
Middletown police taking part in a speed detail along New Falls Road at Queen Lily Road pulled out to stop a 2013 Acura that was clocked going over the speed limit. As an officer was attempting to stop the vehicle, the driver – identified as Steven Allen Pantano – turned onto Bristol-Oxford Valley Road and accelerated, court papers stated.
Advertisements
Police noted that Pantano passed several cars and crossed the double-yellow line. He also is accused of blowing the red light at Cobalt Ridge Drive South and hitting 90 mph.
Pantano passed stopped cars and turned onto Woodbourne Road and then onto Trenton Road, heading into the oncoming lane of travel, police said.
The 31 year old turned back onto Bristol-Oxford Valley Road and ended pulling onto the grass outside the Dorilyn Terrace Apartments. He got out of the vehicle and surrendered to officers without incident, police said.
Advertisements
Pantano allegedly told officers he fled from them because his license was suspended and he had no insurance. He also indicated that he missed a court date in Doylestown.
According to court records, Pantano was scheduled to have a trial at the Justice Center in Doylestown Borough on charges of stalking and disorderly conduct out of Falls Township last Thursday morning.
Advertisements
Pantano was arraigned before an on-call district judge last Thursday afternoon on charges of fleeing or attempting to elude an officer and reckless endangerment. He also had a number of traffic-related citations issued. The bail was set at 10 percent of $20,000 and he was remanded to the correctional facility.
Last Friday after he was in custody, Pantano was arraigned on charges of access device issued to another, theft by deception, and receiving stolen property charges from Falls Township. Bail in the new case was set at 10 percent of $25,000. In addition, Pantano had a 10 percent of $10,000 bail set for the case for which he didn’t show up for trial the day before.
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.
Advertisements
