A Slippery Rock man who told police he stole a Jeep because his family needed transportation was charged after crashing the vehicle following a high-speed police pursuit Sunday, Nov. 5.

The pursuit covered rural roads and ended after the crash outside a church in West Sunbury.

Michael A. Christie, 37, was charged Monday with felonies aggravated assault, theft and fleeing police, misdemeanors criminal mischief and reckless endangerment, and several traffic citations, including speeding, property damage, and reckless and careless driving.

State police said they received a tip around 3:45 p.m. Sunday that a stolen green Jeep Wrangler was seen at the Country Corner Store on Route 8, Brady Township.

The driver, later identified as Christie, drove the vehicle from the gas station to Staff Road, then south on Muddy Creek Road, police said.

State police said they encountered the stolen vehicle as they were driving in the opposite direction, and they activated their lights and siren to pursue it.

Police said Christie fled at a high rate of speed, drove into the oncoming lane several times, failed to come to a complete stop at multiple stop signs, and passed other vehicles during the pursuit.

When troopers attempted to perform an immobilization maneuver, documents showed Christie swerved the Jeep toward the police vehicle in an aggressive manner to prevent the immobilization, nearly striking them.

As the pursuit continued to the intersection of West State Street and Beaver Avenue in West Sunbury, police said Christie drove off the roadway to avoid a truck stopped on West State Street. Police said he drove onto the St. Louis Catholic Church property and struck a utility pole. The stolen Jeep and the church yard sustained damage, police said.

No one was injured in the crash, police said.

Christie told police he had stolen the Jeep a week prior because he had no way to drive his family around. He was taken into custody without further incident and was placed in Butler County Prison in lieu of $50,000 bail.

His preliminary hearing is scheduled Nov. 15.