BUTLER TWP — A suspected shoplifter led police on a high-speed chase Friday night that ended when he crashed his sport utility vehicle on Route 8 at the Route 422 east on-ramp, authorities said.

Donald Lee Griffin, 21, of Butler is in the Butler County Prison on felony and other charges stemming from the incident that began about 9:45 p.m. Friday at the Butler Commons shopping plaza.

Brown is accused of swiping more than $540 worth of clothing, jewelry and groceries from Walmart before taking off in a Ford Escape.

Butler Township police got there and saw the vehicle “driving at a high rate (of) speed” through the parking lot and in the vicinity of several pedestrians.

An officer got behind the SUV and activated his emergency lights but the suspect would not stop, according to court documents.

Another man bailed out of the passenger seat of the moving vehicle and was arrested, police said, but not before the SUV nearly ran over his legs.

Griffin ran a stop sign in the parking lot before he turned west onto New Castle Road where he crossed over multiple lanes while failing to slow at a yield sign, according to the report. He passed another vehicle on the right and traveled onto the Route 422 east on-ramp.

“While on the ramp,” documents said, “the vehicle traveled onto the left side of the road, almost losing control, kicking up rocks and debris from the berm.”

Griffin sped up and passed a number of vehicles while going about 100 mph “for an extended period of time,” police said.

The defendant passed the Mercer Road overpass and again used the right berm to get around two other vehicles attempting to exit Route 422.

Police said Griffin sideswiped one of the vehicles before he lost control of his Ford, which traveled onto the grass median between the Route 8 north and south exit ramps and the Route 422 east on-ramp.

The vehicle crossed the on-ramp and struck the hillside, disabling it. Officers said they got to the wrecked SUV and saw Griffin slumped over in the driver's seat. He appeared injured and was unresponsive in the locked vehicle.

One of the officers used his baton to break the driver's side window to help rescue the defendant, who had cuts to his forehead. He was taken by ambulance to Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh.

Later, police searched the vehicle and recovered the stolen Walmart merchandise, documents said. They also found two half-empty beer cans and an opened bottle of brandy.

District Judge Sue Haggerty arraigned Griffin on a felony charge of fleeing or attempting to elude police and misdemeanor charges of retail theft, receiving stolen property and reckless endangerment.

Additionally, he is charged with 10 traffic violations including driving without a license.

He was placed in the county prison on $25,000 bail following arraignment.