Police stop chase with tactic
BUTLER TWP — A police pursuit of an alleged drugged driver ended after a trooper intervened to immobilize the suspect's vehicle, authorities said.
Nancy A. Hinchberger, 51, of Lyndora was arrested following last week's incident in Butler Township, and she's awaiting a hearing on felony and other charges.
Troopers were called about 2:15 a.m. Dec. 7 for a reported erratic driver in the area of Meridian and Benbrook roads, according to court documents. Police spotted the suspect's red Ford Explorer turn onto Greenwood Drive.
Trooper Travis Buckshire activated his emergency lights, but Hinchberger didn't stop. The officer turned on his siren.
The defendant is accused of turning left onto Route 422 and running a stop sign. The pursuit continued onto West Old Route 422.
A short time later, Buckshire performed a Precision Immobilization Technician, commonly known as a PIT maneuver.
A PIT maneuver is a tactic in which an officer intentionally sideswipes a vehicle with the intent of stopping a chase or pursuit.
Hinchberger's vehicle went off the road and struck a utility pole on the passenger side, police said. She and her passenger had to be extricated and both were taken to Butler Memorial Hospital with apparent injuries.
An inventory search of the vehicle turned up Hinchberger's purse, documents said, which held both a plastic bag containing suspected crack cocaine and a crack pipe.
The defendant, police said, showed signs of impairment, and she submitted to a blood draw. Toxicology results are pending.
Hinchberger was arraigned on a felony charge of fleeing or attempting to elude police and misdemeanor charges of driving under the influence of a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia.
She also is charged with driving with a suspended license-DUI related and several other traffic violations.
She is free on $10,000 bail. Her preliminary hearing is scheduled for Dec. 20.
