Police say driver nearing 100 mph resisted arrest
ZELIENOPLE — A suspected speeder landed behind bars after police say he refused to get out of his car after being pulled over Monday night.
Zelienople police said they also found Marcos I. Baldeo, 24, of Cranberry Township carrying a spring-loaded knife.
District Judge Wayne Seibel arraigned Baldeo on charges of possession of a prohibited offensive weapon, reckless endangerment, resisting arrest, illegal racing, driving at an unsafe speed and failing to yield to an emergency vehicle.
He was placed in Butler County Prison on $5,000 bail following arraignment.
Police said a patrol officer was on South Main Street at Baldinger's store about 10:30 p.m. when he spotted a car northbound exceeding the 35 mph speed limit. The officer took off in pursuit.
The driver of the car, later identified as Baldeo, eventually turned around and headed south on South Main Street, according to court documents.
“My police cruiser speed was about 96 mph and the (car) was pulling away,” the pursuing officer said in his affidavit.
The defendant passed at least one vehicle before pulling into Jackson Point Plaza and stopping in a parking spot.
Police ordered Baldeo to put his hands in the air as one of the officers approached the driver's side and tried to open the door. But the suspect “quickly closed” it, documents said.
Again police attempted to open the door but again Baldeo allegedly closed it.
Police said they warned him they would use a Taser if he didn't get out of the car, and then tried to pull him out. But he resisted their efforts, documents said.
Cranberry Township police were called for backup and after another officer got there, the defendant finally exited the car.
Still, he continued to resist, police said, when an officer tried to pull one of his hands from under his body.
A subsequent pat-down search turned up a spring-assisted pocket knife from one of his shorts' pockets.
When police asked him why he was traveling so fast, documents said, Baldeo replied “he missed his turn but did not feel he was speeding at all.”
