Police: Man Flees Field Sobriety Test, Attempts To Swim To Freedom
Follow KDKA-TV: Facebook | Twitter
LIGONIER (KDKA) -- A Westmoreland County man is in jail after bolting from a police field sobriety test.
The incident started Monday evening when Ligonier Township Police pulled the suspect over after being alerted by an off-duty officer that he had spotted the man, who was wanted on several warrants, driving a Subaru.
Nathaniel Munden, 31, of Ligonier, was pulled over by the officers on Darlington Road, near Route 30. Ligonier Officer Jordan Miller and and another officer started performing a field sobriety test on Munden.
But Munden had other ideas.
Fleeing toward Loyalhanna Creek, Munden apparently thought he had an easy avenue of escape. But, he was wrong.
After bolting from police, he stumbled or fell down a steep embankment, jumped into the water and swam across to the bank in the other side.
"Loyalhanna is a pretty large creek, a good 70 to 75 yards wide in locations, very deep holes, very rocky, and the water could be very swift," Ligonier Township Police Chief Michael Matrunics said.
Munden ran off after reaching the other side of the creek, with police in hot pursuit.
But his freedom was short-lived. Only a few hundred yards away, he was found hiding under a yellow truck that was parked in a field.
No shots were fired during the incident.
He was checked out at the hospital, and then he was transported to the Westmoreland County Prison.
Police said they found drugs and a open bottle of vodka in his car.
"They were all keeping an eye on him. They did a great job getting him back in custody again," Police Chief Matrunics said
