A Pittsburgh man who led police on a high-speed chase along the Parkway East and Boulevard of the Allies appeared before District Judge Thomas Caulfield in his Forest Hills courtroom Jan. 30.
Juan Hernandez Carrera, 45, of Pittsburgh was held for court on charges of fleeing or attempting to elude officers, recklessly endangering another person, resisting arrest/other law enforcement, failure to stop at a red signal, disregard traffic lane (single), turning movement and required signals, driving at safe speed, careless driving and reckless driving. Two counts of intentional possesion of a controlled substance by a person not registered were withdrawn.
According to a criminal complaint, a Forest Hills police officer on patrol on Sept. 25, 2012 attempted to initiate a traffic stop after observing a silver Dodge Neon being driven erratically in the 2100 block of Ardmore Boulevard. Carrera, the driver, did not stop but continued along Ardmore westbound, reaching speeds of more than 50 mph in a 40-mph zone.
Carrera traveled onto the Parkway East and through the Squirrel Hill Tunnel, which was under contruction. After the tunnel, the car reached speeds of up to 80 mph and veered onto the Boulevard of the Allies, then across the Liberty Bridge and through the tunnel.
As the car traveled onto Warrington Avenue, multiple Pittsburgh police units deployed stike strips, but Carrera drove around them and then finally stopped. As a Forest Hills officer tried to remove Carrera from the vehicle, Carrera reached toward the console and a struggle ensued. He resisted arrest and police noted his speech was slurred and his eyes bloodshot.
Carrera told police he had taken too much of a prescribed medication and submitted to a blood test before he was taken to Allegheny County Jail.
In other cases handled by Caulfield on Jan. 30:
- William Pow, 36, of Turtle Creek waived his right to a preliminary hearing on charges of false reports-report offense did not occur, false alarm to agency of public safety and disorderly conduct-hazardous/physical contact. According to a criminal complaint filed by Forest Hills police, Pow reported on Dec. 14, 2012 that a female had a self-inflicted gunshot wound at a Forest Hills address. The report was unfounded.
- Adam Cloud, 20, of Verona waived his right to a preliminary hearing on charges of driving under the influence (general impairment/incapable of driving safely, first offense), driving under the influence (controlled substance, Schedule 1, first offense) and driving with no headlights. According to a criminal complaint, Swissvale police officers observed a black Pontiac sedan heading up Roslyn Street from Woodstock Avenue without headlights on Dec. 14. After conducting a traffic stop, the officer detected a strong odor of marijuana on Cloud and noted that his eyes were bloodshot and glassy. Cloud failed field sobriety tests. He was taken to UPMC Presbyterian for a blood test.
- Demond D. Hayes, 20, of Wilkinsburg waived his right to a preliminary hearing on charges of receiving stolen property, burglary and criminal mischief/damage property-intent, reckless or negligence. According to a criminal complaint, two Forest Hills police officers were dispatched for a burglary in progress in the 300 block of Woodside Road on Jan. 15. They were informed by county dispatch that the homeowner was chasing two men dressed all in black toward Cherry Valley Road. A Braddock Hills officer saw two men run from a Sherwood Road yard. Both were ordered to stop and Hayes complied. His accomplice ran but was apprehended later by an East Pittsburgh police officer. Hayes admitted to officers that he committed the burglary, according to the complaint.
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