Police: Rock Glen man in unregistered Jeep lead officers on chase
NUREMBERG – A Rock Glen man is in Schuylkill County Prison after North Union Township Police say he led them on a chase last month.
Frank Kapes, 49, of 1950 Tomhicken Road, was arraigned today on charges filed March 14.
According to the criminal complaint filed by Officer-In-Charge Doug Litwhiler in Magisterial District Judge Edward Tarantelli’s court, Litwhiler was patrolling Nuremberg around 2pm Feb 2.
At Mahanoy Street and Mountain Road, Litwhiler said he saw a red Jeep Cherokee stopped at a stop sign with an expired inspection sticker.
Litwhiler said, as he and the Jeep’s driver, later identified as Kapes, made eye contact, the Jeep fled at high speed towards Weston.
Litwhiler, with lights and sirens activated, gave chase as the Jeep fled through the village of Weston, “kicking up dust as it travelled from one lane to the other.”
The Jeep ran a stop sign at Derringer Street and nearly struck another vehicle, Litwhiler said, and continued onto an abandoned dirt road past Derringer Street, crossing the mountain towards Rock Glen.
Litwhiler ended the pursuit there, as he said he nearly lost control of the police vehicle on the dirt road.
Through investigation, Litwhiler determined the driver was Kapes and spoke with him and his girlfriend at their Rock Glen home. The Jeep was not there at the time.
On Feb. 12, State Police at Hazleton saw the Jeep at the home.
Charges were filed against Kapes on March 14, and he was arraigned today on felony fleeing a police officer, misdemeanor reckless endangerment, and multiple summary traffic violations.
He was committed to Schuylkill County Prison, unable to post 10% of $15,000 cash bail.
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