BUTLER TWP — A man is accused of hitting a township officer's cruiser Sunday afternoon during a police pursuit in a stolen sport utility vehicle, authorities said.

Tyler B. Kern, 25, of Clearfield Township was arrested after he allegedly crashed the stolen Honda CR-V shortly after 2:30 p.m. He was taken to Butler Memorial Hospital with an apparent minor injury.

He was later released and arraigned on 20 charges, including five felonies. He is in the Butler County Prison on $100,000 bail.

Butler Township police said their department and Butler police were already looking for Kern when they were called for a reported shoplifting incident at Walmart at the Butler Commons shopping plaza.

The suspected shoplifters, a man and woman, were caught trying to steal a 65-inch television, investigators said. But they ran out of the store, leaving the TV behind, and got into a Honda CR-V parked near the exit doors.

Kern was identified as the apparent getaway driver of the vehicle that was reported stolen Dec. 12 from the city's Institute Hill neighborhood, Butler police said.

The Honda was seen traveling toward the Butler Crossing shopping plaza. Township police advised city police of the incident.

A Butler officer saw the Honda take off from Mercer Street in the city around 2:30 p.m. Police tried to block the vehicle, but Kern, who was now alone in it, accelerated and drove away, documents said.

Police estimated his speed at “well past” 76 mph in a 35 mph zone, crossing into opposing traffic during his getaway.

Authorities said Kern drove into Butler Township on Mercer Road. Township officers joined city police in the pursuit.

Township police deployed spike strips on Mercer Road at North Duffy Road in Center Township. The device flattened the right front tire of the vehicle the defendant was driving. But he did not stop.

Police said he turned onto East Brewster Road, and kept speeding. He crossed into opposing traffic around at least two bends.

Butler Township police Sgt. Robert Murphy, who was in one of three cruisers involved in the chase, managed to get in front of Kern in an attempt to slow the pursuit.

But the defendant allegedly swerved hard to the left.

“He clipped my car,” Murphy said Monday, “while trying to get around me on East Brewster Street.”

Murphy was not injured and his car apparently had only minor damage.

Moments later, the suspect allegedly lost control of the Honda and traveled off the road and over several large rocks before sideswiping a utility pole.

Police were able to block the vehicle. Kern got out, but officers immediately arrested him. The Honda, police said, sustained moderate damage.

Police suspect that two days earlier, on Friday, Kern led officers on a chase in the same vehicle in Butler Township.

The defendant managed to elude Butler Township police on an afternoon on Route 422 east from the Lyndora exit, where officers spotted the stolen Honda SUV.

Butler police Sgt. Jeremy Walters heard the radio call and activated his emergency lights and siren, police said, and was traveling to North Main Street to intercept the suspect vehicle, in case the driver headed back into the city.

Walters was northbound on Main Street and was going through the intersection when his cruiser was T-boned by a Kia Soul that was traveling east on West Brady Street, city police said.

Witnesses said the Kia driver, Delores Anderson, 77, of Butler, had the green light.

The car struck the driver's side of the cruiser. All of the air bags in both vehicles deployed. Both vehicles sustained moderate to severe damage and had to be towed.

The cruiser was one of three recently purchased police cars.

Walters was not immediately taken to Butler Memorial Hospital, but later drove himself there after complaining of pain.

Butler Township police, who were apparently unaware of the accident in the city, terminated the pursuit soon after it began for “safety reasons,” noting the high volume of traffic on the road at the time.

The city crash remains under investigation.

Kern was arraigned on felony charges of aggravated assault, receiving stolen property, fleeing or attempting to elude police, retail theft and conspiracy to commit retail theft.

He also was arraigned on charges of reckless endangerment and six counts of criminal mischief, all misdemeanors.

Additionally, he is charged with eight traffic violations including one for driving without a license.