John Joyce

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An allegedly intoxicated driver led West Manchester police on a brief chase Wednesday.

The suspect and two women jumped from the moving vehicle, which then crashed into a parked SUV.

West Manchester Township Police said a man who allegedly failed to stop for a traffic violation and led officers on a chase through the west end Wednesday night jumped from his moving SUV, which continued on and crashed into a parked car.

A loaded .357 Ruger handgun, a white powdery substance and a glass pipe were later found in the vehicle, according to charging documents. The arresting officer said the driver smelled of alcohol and urinated on himself.

Stephon Jones, 29, is charged with prohibited possession of a firearm, carrying a firearm without a license, fleeing to elude arrest, resisting arrest, DUI and a host of traffic violations, including disregarding traffic lanes and not heeding posted signs.

According to the charging documents, Officer Michael Jordan stopped at the intersection of West Market Street and Hokes Mill Road and saw Jones speed by in a black Toyota 4Runner at 11:20 p.m. The officer began to follow Jones, who took a right onto North Gowalt Street and accelerated, causing his tires to squeal. From there, the chase was on.

Detective Sgt. Jeff Snell said the pursuit lasted about three minutes and covered approximately one mile. He said the top speed reached during the chase was not reflected in Jordan's report but that Jones exceeded the posted speed limit.

"It was over 35 mph," Snell said.

Jordan activated his lights and sirens and followed Jones as he headed up West Philadelphia Street and turned onto North Forest Street and then Bannister Street. Jordan said Jones struck the curb several times and glanced off a light pole before driving up an embankment. He then turned right onto North Scott Street, where he took out a residential mailbox, the documents said.

Jones continued on to Worth Street, where the vehicle slowed and a female jumped from the right front passenger seat and knelt in the street. She was later identified as Jones' sister, Chantel Jones.

PSP: Man led police on 25-mile chase

Jones took a right onto Berwick Street, striking the curb for the final time before he jumped out and ran, documents state. The 4Runner, unoccupied, continued to roll and struck a white SUV parked just north of Filbert Street.

"It drifted down the street and into another SUV," Snell said.

Jordan chased after Jones, who ran through several backyards on Orange Street, crashing into a picnic table and stumbling once before tripping and falling into a ditch. Jones refused to turn over until Jordan forced his hands behind his back and he was taken into custody, the documents said.

Jordan said he "detected a moderate odor of alcohol" on Jones' breath and he noticed Jones had "urinated on himself," according to the documents.

Back at the 4Runner, officers found the white powdery substance and gun in the car and also located a still-cold Heineken bottle, which had spilled, the documents said.

Jones told the officers he recently had been evicted from his residence in the area and said anything in the vehicle was his and not his sister's. Jones' girlfriend also had been in the vehicle, according to the documents. It was unclear when she left the SUV.

So far neither woman is charged with a crime.

"We're still looking into that," Snell said. "Determining whether we're going to charge them. The investigation is ongoing."

When shown the items found in the 4Runner, Jones denied ownership. Jordan decided against giving Jones a field sobriety test because of his willingness to flee. He was instead taken to York Hospital for chemical and blood alcohol testing, the results of which are not listed in the charging documents.

— Reach John Joyce atjjoyce2@yorkdispatch.comor on Twitter at @JohnJoyceYD.