PARADISE TOWNSHIP, PENNSYLVANIA — A 20-year-old driver fleeing Pennsylvania State Police at more than 120 mph ran a stop sign and slammed into a tractor-trailer Sunday evening, flipping it onto a civilian sedan and triggering a three-vehicle fire that sent four people to the hospital.
Pennsylvania State Police arrested Jesus Juarez-Juarez, 20, of Atglen, Chester County. When asked why he fled, he told troopers he drives to “blow off steam.”
The Chase
Just before 7 p.m. on Sunday, a trooper patrolling in the parking lot of CJ’s Automotive and Towing on Black Horse Road spotted two silver Infiniti sedans flying down Strasburg Road at more than 100 mph. The trooper pulled out and activated emergency lights and sirens. Both cars sped away. The pursuit reached speeds exceeding 120 mph heading east on Strasburg Road.
Chris Haldeman, Makin’ The Hit Emergency Media Services & News
One sedan attempted a left turn onto South Vintage Road, hit a berm, briefly lost control, then regained it and kept running north at over 100 mph. Along the way, Juarez-Juarez passed eight vehicles, a horse and buggy, and a bicyclist.
The Crash
The sedan blew through a stop sign at South Vintage Road and Lincoln Highway East. It slammed into a tractor-trailer at full speed. The force of the impact flipped the tractor-trailer into the westbound lanes, where it struck a civilian Lincoln sedan. All three vehicles — the fleeing sedan, the tractor-trailer, and the civilian sedan — caught fire simultaneously.
WGAL
The driver of the civilian sedan was trapped inside. Bystanders helped extinguish the flames before firefighters arrived and freed the driver. The tractor-trailer driver and the passenger in the civilian sedan got out on their own. All three went to Lancaster General Hospital. The 15-year-old passenger in Juarez-Juarez’s vehicle also went to the hospital. Route 30 closed in both directions for an extended period. On Monday morning, crews uprighted the tractor-trailer and worked to clear the scene.
WGAL
The Charges
Troopers arrested Juarez-Juarez without incident. He faces the following charges: fleeing or attempting to elude an officer, aggravated assault by vehicle, endangering the welfare of children, four counts of recklessly endangering another person, careless driving causing serious bodily injury, racing on highways, reckless driving, and multiple summary traffic offenses.
All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
📸 Image(s) used under fair use for news reporting.
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