Greensburg police: 2 men jailed on multiple charges after 8-mile chase, crash

Two men inside a stolen car that led Greensburg police on an 8-mile pursuit early Tuesday through the city and north on Route 119 before crashing into an embankment near Crabtree were ordered to jail on numerous criminal, traffic and theft complaints.

Darnelle L. Wade, 37, of New Kensington and Demontre ”Cutty” Chambers, 21, of Arnold ran from the vehicle crash about 2:45 a.m. in Salem but were apprehended later after a search of the rural area by city and state police.

Wade, who patrolman Brad Grabiak alleges was driving the 2017 Volvo sedan that was reported stolen from New Kensington, is accused of running red lights, ignoring stop signs and passing vehicles in the opposite lane of traffic to avoid capture. Police reported finding cellphones, a “large amount of marijuana” and digital scales inside the crashed vehicle.

Police also allege Chambers possessed a stolen Glock 9 mm handgun with an extended clip that also were recovered inside the abandoned sedan.

Two other occupants inside the car were not charged, but questioned by police.

Grabiak said the incident began when he received an unrelated report of an intoxicated man stumbling near the CoGo’s store at the intersection of East Otterman and East Pittsburgh streets. As he approached the scene, Grabiak said a Volvo with four people quickly pulled in front of his patrol car from a nearby parking lot onto East Otterman and sped on Arch Street thorough the railroad tunnel and headed toward Route 119 North.

Grabiak said that when the car passed through stop signs and steady red traffic signals, he attempted to stop it. He saw passengers inside the car moving about as if they were “concealing contraband or weapons under the front seats.”

“The vehicle continued north on Route 119, passing vehicles by going into the oncoming lane. Vehicles were pulling off to the right side of the road to avoid a crash,” Grabiak wrote.

Once the pursuit continued past Crabtree on Route 119, Grabiak said it struck a guardrail, crossed both lanes of traffic and hit an embankment, where the car became disabled.

Grabiak said all four occupants had fled the vehicle when he arrived, but he spotted one unidentified man nearby who ignored pleas to stop and continued to flee.

A woman returned to the accident scene and surrendered, police reported. The others were apprehended a short time later.

Wade is charged with driving on a suspended license, fleeing to elude an officer, loitering and prowling, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, receiving stolen property, reckless driving, reckless endangering and numerous traffic violations.

Chambers is charged with illegal possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm without a license, receiving stolen property and escape.

District Judge Chris Flanigan denied both men bond, noting in court documents that she believed they were a danger to the community and a flight risk.

According to online dockets, in 2006 Wade pleaded guilty in Allegheny County to homicide by vehicle in connection with a 2005 DUI crash and was sentenced to serve 11½ to 23 months in prison followed by five years of probation.

According to online dockets, Chambers was arrested by Arnold police for possession of a stolen 9 mm handgun in August 2020 after he was stopped when officers investigated reports of shots being fired. Court dockets indicate he was released from the county prison in November after serving a portion of an 11½-month to 23-month sentence after he pleaded guilty to receiving stolen property.

Preliminary hearings are scheduled for Feb. 17.