People questioning the logic of a high-speed police chase in the middle of the day stemming from a driving-under-suspension violation are correct. Many lives were placed in danger when, instead, the individual probably could have been apprehended simply by staking out his home and waiting for him to return — since the state police were familiar with the 19-year-old in question.

What transpired beginning at about 12:30 p.m. Monday on Route 28 in Armstrong County was a chase that reached at least 128 mph, covering a distance of 19 miles, and ending in Brackenridge, Allegheny County. During the chase, the suspect, Michael Maycock of Ford City, passed vehicles on the right berm and in the left lane of oncoming traffic; ignored 12 stop signs, a red light and a flashing red light; traveled through a doughnut shop parking lot; and ignored speed limits on a number of other roads not conducive to high speeds.

It would have been a tragedy if the chase had resulted in the death or serious injury of an innocent motorist or pedestrian, and/or the police in pursuit of Maycock, when there was the potential for apprehending the suspect later without incident.

Granted, the chase resulted in Maycock being arrested on a number of other charges, including that he had consumed drugs during the chase. Maycock was arraigned on charges of DUI, three counts of reckless endangerment, fleeing or attempting to elude police, possession of a controlled substance, and 2½ dozen traffic violations.

Nevertheless, this wasn't an instance where a suspected murderer, kidnapper or bank robber, whose identity was unknown, was attempting to escape. This was a case where the trooper who began chasing the suspect admittedly knew the suspect's identity and that he was driving while under suspension due to two chases in November. There were options for apprehending him without imperiling innocent people, and those other options should have been exercised.

Hopefully the courts will give Maycock an adequate amount of jail time to keep him off the highways and to enable him to get help for his presumed drug problem. And, hopefully state police commanders will counsel troopers working under them that abandoning a chase under certain conditions makes better sense than continuing it.

This was one of those times.