Lowville, NY -- An armed Watertown man rammed a stolen pickup truck into a Lewis County bar, then made himself a drink before leading police on a two-county chase that ended after he crashed into the rear of a state police car Thursday in St. Lawrence County, troopers said.

Kriss A. Whitney, 44, of 201 Clinton St., was charged in St. Lawrence County with felony criminal possession of a weapon, criminal possession of stolen property and criminal mischief, as well as misdemeanor resisting arrest, unlawfully fleeing a police officer, aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and two counts of reckless endangerment, troopers said. He also faces traffic tickets.

In addition, Whitney faces charges by Lowville state police and the Lewis County Sheriff's Office in connection with the bar incident, said state police Investigator William J. Campeau.

Troopers provided this account:

A Harrisville man called 911 at 11:15 a.m. to report his 2001 red Chevrolet pickup -- with a loaded Ruger .357 caliber revolver inside -- had been stolen from his driveway. State police and Lewis County sheriff's deputies responded.

A short while later, a second call came in from near the closed Trackside Bar, about two miles away. Someone was using a red pickup to smash his way into the bar on Depot Street. More troopers responded.

But a state conservation officer arrived first. John Murphy found the front door broken down and the suspect inside, making himself a drink.

"Apparently the bar was closed and he wanted a drink," the trooper Campeau said. "He was fixing himself a white Russian when the state conservation officer showed up."

The suspect refused Murphy's orders to surrender, jumped in the pickup and took off.

He drove across the county line into St. Lawrence County, where he was picked up by more troopers and deputies from that county, as well as the village of Gouverneur.

Whitney refused to pull over and drove at a high speed through the town of Edwards, where he forced an oncoming sheriff’s vehicle off the road. He continued into the town of Fowler, where he nearly struck a trooper who was placing a tire deflation device.

He finally stopped after all four tires were deflated and his pickup struck the rear of a state police vehicle. Once out of the pickup, he refused to place his hands behind his back.

Whitney was eventually arrested and sent to the St. Lawrence County jail, where he is being held without bail.