UPDATED: 8:58 p.m., Wednesday:
Bensalem Township and Middletown Township police released more information on the suspect who caused a manhunt Wednesday.
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The manhunt in Middletown Township and Langhorne Manor Borough ended after law enforcement were unable to locate the wanted man.
The incident began around 3 p.m. when Bensalem Township police were investigating reported suspicious activity near the 3600 block of Street Road. Upon attempting to make contact with the suspect, the individual fled at a high rate of speed in a white Mercedes SUV, colliding with two police vehicles in the process, Bensalem Township Public Safety Director William McVey said.
The suspect’s vehicle was later found abandoned with a flat tire in the vicinity of West Highland Avenue and Hulmeville Avenue near the border with Middletown Township and Langhorne Manor Borough.
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In response, officers from multiple jurisdictions established a perimeter around 3:30 p.m. and initiated a search of the area. The manhunt involved officers on foot, K-9 units, and a drone to search the wooded area where the suspect was believed to be hiding, police said.
An additional lead came from an ATV operator who encountered a man in the woods, claiming the individual attempted to steal his ATV, Middletown Township police said.
The account by the ATV rider matched the description of the suspect, who was identified by Middletown Township police as 33-year-old Joseph Elovens.
Credit: Bensalem police
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The manhunt was called off around 5:40 p.m. as it got dark and rain fell.
McVey said the investigation is ongoing.
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The manhunt led to numerous road closures and delayed Neshaminy School District buses in the area.
Officers and detectives from the Bensalem Township, Hulmeville Borough, Langhorne Borough, Langhorne Manor Borough, Middletown Township, Penndel Borough police departments were at the scene. There were also law enforcement from the Pennsylvania State Police, Pennsylvania Game Commission, Bucks County Sheriff’s Office and Bucks County Rangers assisting.
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Original Story:
A manhunt drew a large law enforcement presence in part of Middletown Township and Langhorne Manor Borough on Wednesday.
As of 5:30 p.m., the suspect was not in custody, but the search was being scaled back, sources said.
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Middletown Township police Chief Joseph Bartorilla said his department was assisting Bensalem Township police with the search that involved officers on foot, tracking dogs, and a drone.
The chief referred a reporter to Bensalem Township police officials, who were not immediately available for comment, for further information.
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Law enforcement sources told LevittownNow.com the incident started with a crash involving a police vehicle in Bensalem Township and led to officers chasing the striking SUV to West Highland Avenue near Hulmeville Road in Middletown Township’s Parkland section.
Around 3:30 p.m., the driver fled into the wooded area that includes hills, ponds, and a creek on the Middletown Township and Langhorne Manor Borough border, sources said.
Officers set up a perimeter around the wooded area and rerouting some traffic. Police vehicles were stationed every few hundred feet around the woods.
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A source said Bensalem Township police knew the identity of the driver who fled.
Officers and detectives from the Bensalem Township, Hulmeville Borough, Langhorne Borough, Langhorne Manor Borough, Middletown Township, Penndel Borough police departments were at the scene. There were also law enforcement from the Pennsylvania State Police, Pennsylvania Game Commission, Bucks County Sheriff’s Office and Bucks County Rangers assisting.
The search and related road closures did delay some Neshaminy School District buses in the area.
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