Trending
During a domestic disturbance with his girlfriend in their guest room at Motel 6 on Old Montoursville Road in Loyalsock Township about 8:30 p.m. Monday, Roland Martin jumped out a second-floor window and fled with the woman's 2012 Ford Escape, state police said in an affidavit.
Initially, Martin, 28, of Wyalusing, threatened to jump out the window with the couple's 2-year-old child, but the mother and a second person in the room were able to take the toddler away from him, police said.
Information about Martin fleeing the scene in the woman's car was related to state troopers via a dispatcher. While a trooper responded to the motel to talk with the car's owner, others began looking for the vehicle, which was spotted traveling east on Interstate 180 near Lycoming Mall Road, police said.
When a trooper attempted to stop Martin near the Route 405 interchange in Muncy Creek Road by activating the cruiser's emergency lights and siren, the driver paid no attention and fled at speeds in excess of 100 mph, court records stated. The pursuit lasted nearly 14 miles through Turbotville, McEwensville and Watsontown, where Martin was finally nabbed in the 400 block of Main Street after he jumped out of the car and took off on foot, police said.
"Martin's eyes were glassy and bloodshot, and there was a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from his breath," the trooper said in the affidavit. Upon inspecting the car, police saw an open beer can in the center console's cup holder. Police suspected Martin, who refused to provide a blood sample, was driving under the influence, the affidavit stated. Martin already has two DUI convictions, and his license is suspended due to those convictions, police added.
Following his arraignment before District Judge William Solomon on felony fleeing police, DUI, recklessly endangering, endangering the welfare of a child and several summary traffic violations, Martin was jailed in lieu of $150,000 bail.