DUI suspect held in prison
CENTER TWP — A suspected drunken driver has been jailed on six-figure bail after leading state police on a 21-mile, high-speed chase early Saturday morning through several Butler County municipalities.
Troopers arrested Jay Edward Vinroe, 51, of Connoquenessing Township but not before he jumped out of his sport utility vehicle and ran into the woods.
District Judge William Fullerton later arraigned Vinroe on 19 criminal charges and traffic violations including a felony count of fleeing or attempting to elude police.
He is in the Butler County Prison on $250,000 bail.
Police said they first spotted the defendant's 2003 Dodge Durango with an illegal license plate about 2:30 a.m. on Route 8 near Sunset Drive in Center Township.
Trooper Shaun Milkovic activated his emergency lights and siren when he saw the SUV traveling south on Route 8 cross the fog line and center line, according to court documents.
Vinroe, however, did not stop and turned left onto Sunset Drive. He eventually turned back onto Route 8, heading north and “approached speeds in excess of 100 mph,” documents said.
The chase continued onto Hall Road in Brady Township, through West Sunbury onto Route 308 south and Vidic Road in Clay Township.
The defendant subsequently turned onto Boydstown Road and Clark Road in Concord Township. The pursuit continued onto Route 38 south before he turned right onto Pine Tract Road.
During the chase, police said, Vinroe ran several stop signs, failed to use his turn signals and crossed into the opposing traffic lane.
Police eventually performed a precision intervention technique, causing Vinroe's SUV to spin off the road and onto the grass road side. He got out and ran into the woods. The foot chase, police said, lasted only 250 feet.
Police said they smelled “a heavy odor” of alcohol coming from the defendant. He was searched and allegedly found with two baggies of suspected marijuana and a marijuana pipe.
He refused to submit to a blood test following his arrest, police said.
In addition to fleeing, he faces criminal charges of resisting arrest, driving under the influence, possession of a small amount of marijuana and drug paraphernalia and disorderly conduct.
Additionally, he faces 13 traffic violations including driving with a suspended license, driving without insurance, careless driving and reckless driving.
Court records show Vinroe is already awaiting trial on DUI charges stemming from a motorcycle wreck earlier this year in Clay Township.
State police in that case said he was more than 2½ times the state's 0.08 percent legal limit Jan. 21 when he crashed his cycle on Route 8 in front of the Rock House bar.
