An Easton man with a female passenger and a quantity of crack cocaine drove down Route 33 at speeds exceeding 110mph during an early-morning police chase that ended with a state police trooper using a Taser-like device to stop the man as he fled on foot, court records say.
The chase involving the suspect, Durrell Andre Carter, 31, began about 1am Friday on eastbound Route 22 in Bethlehem Township and ended near the Dunkin Donuts on William Penn Highway in Palmer Township not far from Easton Area High School.
Carter allegedly drove his gold 1998 Nissan Maxima more than 110mph on southbound Route 33 between William Penn Highway and Freemansburg Avenue, the records say. He also allegedly threw two bags containing crack cocaine out of the driver’s side window after turning right onto William Penn Highway from Stones Crossing Road in Palmer.
Carter, of 135 E. Nesquehoning St., is facing a slew of charges, including DUI counts for alcohol and drugs and counts involving traffic violations. The female passenger is identified as an Easton resident. The records said nothing about charges against her.
A criminal complaint filed by Trooper Michael Kalinchock of State Police- Belfast gives the following details:
The trooper was parked off of eastbound Route 22 in Bethlehem Township monitoring speeds with a radar unit. Carter’s four-door Maxima approached in the left lane. After measuring the car’s speed at 70mph in a 55mph zone, Kalinchock began going east on Route 22.
The Maxima started going faster as it approached Route 33. Carter got onto Route 33 south with the trooper following, and at one point the Maxima was going more than 110mph. Kalinchock activated his car’s lights to try for a traffic stop. The chase took police from Route 33 to Freemansburg Avenue to William Penn Highway in Palmer Township.
On William Penn, police saw two white bags – later found to contain crack cocaine -- being thrown from the driver’s side window. Carter continued to avoid the trooper’s car, which by now also had its siren activated.
Carter drove into the parking lot of the Dunkin Donuts on William Penn. He opened the driver’s door, stopped the car, then fled on foot. The female, sitting in the front passenger seat, stayed in the car. After a foot chase, a trooper used an “electric immobilization device” to stop Carter and take him into custody.
Kalinchock said Carter had bloodshot eyes, and a strong odor of marijuana was coming from him and his car. Police took Carter to the Easton DUI Center. A blood sample was taken from his right arm. Test results were pending.
In addition to the two DUI counts and a count of resisting arrest, Carter was charged with numerous traffic violations.
He was arraigned at 6:45am Friday by on-duty District Judge Diane Marakovits ofNorthampton and committed to Northampton County Prison after failing to post $5,000 bail.
