Police: Young Man Escapes Detention Center, Steals Truck, Leads Police On Chase

UNITY TOWNSHIP (KDKA) -- A young man is in custody after police say he escaped from a detention center in Westmoreland County, stole a pickup truck and led officers on a chase along Route 30.

According to the criminal complaint, it all started around 2 p.m. Tuesday when 18-year-old Kasaon Murphy escaped from custody at Adelphoi Village.

Murphy had been committed to the facility by the court.

Police say Murphy then went to the Auto Zone in Latrobe where he stole a pickup truck while its owner was in the store. The owner told investigators he heard his vehicle start up, watched as it pulled out of the parking lot and then called police.

The criminal complaint reports that an officer spotted the vehicle driving along Route 30 and tried to pull the driver over.

However, when the officer turned on his siren and flashing lights, the truck turned and sped off, heading west along the roadway nearly hitting a tractor trailer.

Police say Murphy continued to weave in and out of traffic, at one point crossing a concrete median and driving the wrong way in eastbound traffic.

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Additional officers joined the pursuit as the truck blew through several red lights.

At East Pittsburgh Street and Humphrey Road, police say the vehicle did a 180 degree turn and then stopped in the grassy median in front of a bank.

"He absolutely did not want to be apprehended by police," witness Brett Smith said.

Smith works across the street from KeyBank.

"I was actually right here working with a customer when I actually heard the impact," he said.

Officials say Murphy then tried to make a run for it but officers quickly caught up to him and took him into custody in the bank's parking lot.

Murphy is now being held on $100,000 straight cash bond. He is facing a long list of charges, including theft and reckless endangerment.

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