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A Butler man is accused of stealing a vehicle from Butler and driving it over an 80-foot cliff, flipping the vehicle into Pine Creek in Shaler Township, Allegheny County, according to charges filed Tuesday, Aug. 19, in Butler County.

Richard James Russell, 28, was charged by three police departments following the alleged April 23 incident. Butler police charged Russell with felony theft on Aug. 19, Hampton Township police charged him with one felony count each of fleeing police and receiving stolen property on May 16, and Northern Regional police charged him with misdemeanor fleeing police on June 18.

Police said the theft of a blue Ford Escape from an East Jefferson Street gas station preceded a high-speed chase that reached 80 mph at times.

The vehicle was reported to have been traveling south on Route 8 when Middlesex Township police became involved. However, within minutes, that department alerted dispatch Northern Regional police had spotted the vehicle as it passed Northtowne Square shopping plaza on Route 8. Police then followed the vehicle down Route 8, according to an affidavit.

Police said the vehicle made evasive maneuvers and eventually turned onto a dead-end street where a traffic stop was initiated. Police said Russell put one arm out the window when asked to show his hands then sped away down the dead-end street and over a hill.

Police said they anticipated seeing the vehicle travel back down the dead-end street when they crested the hill, but it was out of sight. Police instead saw tire tracks going through a yard on Peach Drive that continued south through another yard. Police said there was property damage left behind in both yards.

Northern Regional police said they were then advised Hampton Township police had located the vehicle traveling south on Route 8 at 80 mph. Police attempted to deploy stop sticks on the vehicle but were unable to do so due to the vehicle’s high speed.

Police said they then attempted another traffic stop just south of Duncan Avenue, but were unsuccessful as Russell continued driving down Route 8.

The vehicle stopped again near the intersection of Route 8 and Elfinwild Road. When officers exited their vehicles and began giving commands, Russell sped away again, police said.

At that time, police said Russell drove off Route 8 and began driving on train tracks parallel to the road. As a result, police said Allegheny County Emergency Services dispatch requested a stop to all train activity in the area.

Police again attempted to deploy stop sticks where the train tracks intersect with Eighth Avenue, but Russell swerved around the stop sticks, an officer and a patrol car as the officer scrambled to get out of the way.

Police said the vehicle continued on Eighth Avenue where two civilians had to run out of the road to avoid the vehicle.

The vehicle continued on Eighth Avenue before turning into the parking lot of American Telecom Corporation of Pennsylvania, the affidavit said. Police said the vehicle entered the parking lot and traveled over the crest of the hill, going airborne before going over a guardrail and an 80-foot cliff.

Police said Russell was not wearing a seat belt during the crash.

As police approached the tree line, they saw the vehicle overturned on its roof in a shallow creek. There was no response to commands shouted from the top of the hill, police said.

Police could not see into the vehicle after descending the hill due to the deployed air bags, so an officer broke the front driver’s window with a baton. Police extricated Russell and saw him bleeding from cuts to his arms, body and face.

Russell was transported to Allegheny General Hospital. He is being held in State Correctional Institute – Fayette.

Russell’s preliminary hearing before District Judge William Fullerton for the vehicle theft has not yet been scheduled. He has preliminary hearings scheduled before District Judge Tom Swan in Allegheny County for 9 a.m. Sept. 19.