A Butler man was arrested after a state trooper was injured during a three-hour vehicle pursuit Sunday morning that caused $25,000 damage to a patrol vehicle.

Troopers were on patrol around 2:05 a.m. when they saw a silver Chevrolet pickup truck fail to stop on North Chestnut at New Castle Street.

When the troopers initiated a traffic stop, Trooper Casey Fuller said he detected a strong smell of alcohol coming from the vehicle, documents said. He questioned Nicholas Masella, 23, who allegedly admitted to drinking.

He requested Masella exit the vehicle, but the defendant refused and fled, documents said.

The pursuit ensued west on Brady Street, left onto Delwood Road, left onto Evans Road and then north onto the North Main Street Extension.

When the vehicle came to rest, Masella allegedly accelerated his vehicle toward the stopped police vehicle. He drove his truck into the driver's side of the patrol unit, causing significant damage, documents said.

He allegedly fled the scene and was located around 5:33 a.m., passed out behind the wheel of his truck in the right-hand lane of SR 528 in Franklin Township.

Read more in Monday's Butler Eagle.