BUFFALO TWP — A suburban Pittsburgh man remains at a mental health facility after leading police on a high-speed chase during which he allegedly played “chicken” with oncoming vehicles.

Buffalo Township police ended its pursuit last week out of concern for public safety and no one was hurt.

Other departments eventually joined in and arrested Troy W. Schoeppner, 22, of Upper St. Clair, who, it turned out, was a missing person being sought by authorities.

Schoeppner was arraigned on a felony charge of fleeing or attempting to elude, two counts of reckless endangerment, careless driving and reckless driving.

He was placed in the Butler County Prison on $25,000 bail following arraignment but later transferred to the Western Psychiatric Hospital in Pittsburgh.

Buffalo Township Patrolman Stephen Freiberg said he was northbound on Route 356 about 3:50 a.m. Dec. 27 when the suspect's Mercedes Benz passed him “at a high rate of speed” in the opposing southbound lane.

The officer activated his emergency lights and siren but the defendant did not stop, according to court documents. The Mercedes reached speeds of 80 mph.

Schoeppner's car twice swerved into oncoming traffic, documents, “playing chicken with the oncoming cars,” documents said. After the second time, Freiberg ended the pursuit, fearing for the safety of the suspect and other motorists.

But the officer used his radio to call out the car's continued route. State police, Butler police and Butler Township police heard the call and were waiting for Schoeppner in the area of Route 356 near the Dairy Queen restaurant in Butler Township.

Still, police said, the suspect failed to stop. Eventually, officers from the different departments teamed up to box in Schoeppner on Morton Avenue in Butler.

The defendant, when he turned up missing, authorities said, was also considered in danger of harming himself.

His preliminary hearing has not been scheduled at the office of District Judge Sue Haggerty in Saxonburg.