Ronald Sanderson Jr.

A suspected drunken driver is accused of having a loaded pistol without a permit Sunday after Butler police say he led them on a pursuit in which he traveled the wrong way on several streets.

Ronald A. Sanderson Jr., 21, of Clay Township is facing a pair of felonies and other charges in the incident that began about 2 a.m., police said, when a patrolman spotted his pickup truck headed in the wrong direction on North McKean Street.

Moments later, the truck turned and went the wrong way on East New Castle Street. Police said Patrolman Michael Sulerud activated his emergency lights and siren for a traffic stop, but the driver did not stop.

Sanderson eventually turned onto North Main Street and passed the Brick House bar. Sulerud, in his affidavit, noted he saw “multiple pedestrians leaving the (bar), who were in immediate danger of the vehicle fleeing.”

The pursuit continued with the suspect making another bad turn, going the wrong way on North Jackson Street at speeds too fast for conditions, police said. The truck at one point struck the curb in front of Catholic Charities on West New Castle Street, but Sanderson still did not stop.

He made several more turns, including one that took him eastbound on West Jefferson Street, before he subsequently returned to North Main Street. He finally stopped, police said, in front of the Brick House.

Sanderson told officers that he had a handgun in his waistband, police said. He was taken out of the truck, placed on the ground and handcuffed. Police said they seized the .380-caliber pistol, which was loaded with one round in the chamber.

Sanderson allegedly acknowledged that he did not have a concealed carry permit for the gun.

Also in the truck was a front-seat passenger, a woman, who told police that she was in fear during the pursuit, according to charging documents. She also recounted that she asked Sanderson to stop the truck “multiple times during the pursuit,” police said.

Sanderson, who admitted to drinking at the Brick House before the incident, was taken to the station for a breath test that showed his blood-alcohol level was 0.168 percent — more than twice the state's 0.08 percent legal limit.

District Judge Kevin O'Donnell arraigned Sanderson on felony charges of fleeing or attempting to elude police and possession of a firearm without a carry license, and misdemeanor charges of reckless endangerment and driving under the influence.

Additionally, he is charged with four traffic violations. He is free on $7,500 bond. It was not known if he has an attorney, and he could not be reached for comment.