A busy bridge in Luzerne County was closed for more than an hour Friday afternoon after a police chase.
It was a banged-up police cruiser, not normal afternoon traffic, sitting on the Water Street Bridge in Luzerne County. The bridge, which connects Pittston and West Pittston, was closed for more than an hour after it became the scene of the end of a police chase.
Officers said an off-duty state trooper spotted someone driving a stolen pick-up truck on the Exeter-West Pittston border. That's when officers from several municipalities followed the vehicle.
"We did a pursuit through West Pittston, came up to the bridge here where there was more contact with the cruiser and the truck," explained West Pittston Police Chief Paul Porfirio.
Police said three people were in the stolen truck, two adults and a juvenile. Officers were able to keep two of them in the truck after the crash but police said George Tonte Jr., 20, tried to make a break for it. He ran all the way down the bridge, down two sets of steps and all the way down to the water's edge. Police, along with a few passers-by, pulled Tonte from the Susquehanna River.
All three people in the truck were taken into custody. Police later filed several charges against Tonte including Reckless Endangerment, Aggravated Assault and Fleeing a Police Officer. Tonte was arraigned Friday night and locked up in the Luzerne County Prison.
The Water Street Bridge reopened shortly after the scene was cleared.
It was a banged-up police cruiser, not normal afternoon traffic, sitting on the Water Street Bridge in Luzerne County. The bridge, which connects Pittston and West Pittston, was closed for more than an hour after it became the scene of the end of a police chase.
Officers said an off-duty state trooper spotted someone driving a stolen pick-up truck on the Exeter-West Pittston border. That's when officers from several municipalities followed the vehicle.
"We did a pursuit through West Pittston, came up to the bridge here where there was more contact with the cruiser and the truck," explained West Pittston Police Chief Paul Porfirio.
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All three people in the truck were taken into custody. Police later filed several charges against Tonte including Reckless Endangerment, Aggravated Assault and Fleeing a Police Officer. Tonte was arraigned Friday night and locked up in the Luzerne County Prison.
The Water Street Bridge reopened shortly after the scene was cleared.
