COAL TOWNSHIP - Multiple charges have been filed against a Shamokin man who was found in possession of Spice after fleeing from police and striking a parked car in the west end of the township Sunday.
Kenneth Sampsell Jr., 18, of 135 Birch St., was charged by Patrolman Matthew Henrich with fleeing and eluding police, possession of Spice, three stop sign violations and reckless driving relating to a chase that started at Cedar and Pine streets at 8:42 p.m. Sunday.
Henrich said he spotted Sampsell travel through a stop sign and head east on Pine Street. Henrich, who activated his emergency lights and siren in an attempt to stop Sampsell, said the driver then turned left onto Poplar Street before making a right onto Gowen Street.
Sampsell failed to halt for a stop sign at Gowen and Maple streets before traveling faster in an attempt to elude the officer, police said.
Henrich said he briefly lost sight of the vehicle operated by Sampsell on a small hill at Oak and Gowen streets before he noticed the vehicle stopped at the intersection of Owl and Gowen streets, where Sampsell exited and surrendered to Henrich by laying on the ground.
When asked by the officer why he fled from police, Sampsell said he was scared and knew he was in trouble.
Sampsell then pulled two white bags of Spice from the right pocket of his hoodie and handed them to Henrich.
Police said Sampsell admitted losing control of his vehicle while it crested a hill at Oak and Gowen streets and hit a parked vehicle, rendering his vehicle inoperable and causing damage to the other vehicle.
The defendant told Henrich he smoked Spice about 90 minutes before the chase. Henrich said Sampsell passed various field sobriety tests.
Sampsell was arraigned by on-call Magisterial District Judge Michael Diehl of Milton and released on his own recognizance.