Man Arrested On Side Of Parkway North After Leading Police On High-Speed Chase
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A man was arrested after driving over 100 miles per hour and leading police on a chase that spanned three major local highways.
Police said 50-year-old Walter Rohm — of Houston, Pennsylvania — was traveling 105 miles per hour on northbound Interstate 79 near the Bridgeville exit around 9 a.m. on Friday.
A state trooper tried to initiate a traffic stop, but Rohm kept driving.
Rohm allegedly exited onto the Parkway West and drove 80 miles per hour into the Fort Pitt Tunnel and onto the Parkway North.
Other state troopers joined the chase and eventually surrounded Rohm's car on a berm before the Hazlett Street exit on the Parkway North.
"He finally slowed down because he didn't have any other options," said trooper Melinda Bondarenka.
Even while surrounded by police, Rohm refused to get out of his car.
Police said they pulled him from the car and onto the ground. He was taken into custody.
Rohm is charged with resisting arrest, fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer and several summary offenses.
Trooper Bondarenka said Rohm's speeding put drivers around him in harm's way.
"There was light traffic. So fortunately for the motoring public, he was able to stop without anybody getting injured," the trooper said.
According to court documents, Rohm has a lengthy history of traffic violations.
In 2019, he's received several speeding citations and was charged with causing an accident involving an overturned vehicle.
Rohm allegedly told police he refused to pull over because he didn't want to pay more fines for traffic violations.
He was taken to the Allegheny County Jail and will have a preliminary hearing on Dec. 9.
