Man Headed To Common Pleas Court For Fleeing Cops At High Speed

A Northampton Township man is accused of fleeing police in two different Lower Bucks County municipalities in early February.

Keenen Russell, 38, had 13 charges, including fleeing or attempting to elude an officer, possession of a controlled substance, use/possession of drug paraphernalia, reckless driving, and failure to stop, held for the Court of Common Pleas by District Judge Charles Jonas earlier this month. The defendant was not present for his preliminary hearing and is free after posting bail.

According to court records, late on the night of Feb. 3, Newtown Township police attempted to stop a white Hyundai. The vehicle fled southbound on Woodbourne Road from the Newtown Bypass.

A Middletown Township officer on patrol heard an advisory on the radio and spotted a white sedan traveling southbound on Woodbourne Road near Wood Lane, police said.

As the driver saw the patrol vehicle, the driver stopped in the travel lane and reversed into the northbound lanes, police said.

As officers approached, Russell allegedly shifted back into drive and accelerated southbound on Woodbourne Road at speeds exceeding 100 mph.

Police said Russell ignored the emergency lights and sirens of several marked patrol units.

The vehicle reportedly ran red lights at the intersections of East Lincoln Highway and Trenton Road. It passed other vehicles at high speeds before officers lost sight of the car, police said.

Officers later located the vehicle parked on Cotton Road in the Levittown section of the township, police said.

Russell reportedly attempted to run into a home before surrendering to officers.

Police said they found Russell in possession of buprenorphine and naloxone film after he was detained.

In addition to the Middletown Township case, Newtown Township police have charged Russell with fleeing or attempting to elude an officer, driving at an unsafe speed, and driving with a suspended license. A preliminary hearing for those charges is scheduled for late April before District Judge Mick Petrucci.

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.