Police: Man Leads Officers On High-Speed Chase With Baby In Backseat
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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A man is facing charges after police say he allegedly abducted his child overnight and then got into a high-speed chase with police officers trying to pull him over.
Police say Jake Howard, of Pittsburgh, is facing charges of endangering the welfare of a child, reckless endangerment, driving under the influence, fleeing or attempting to elude police and a long list of other traffic violations.
According to the criminal complaint, police were first called to Pritchard Street in Sheraden around 12:20 a.m. for reports of a possible child abduction.
The mother of the child told investigators she and Howard got into an argument. She got out of his red Dodge Stratus and he sped away with their 4-month-old son in the backseat.
On their way to Pritchard Street, police say officers spotted a red vehicle matching the description of Howard's vehicle stopped at a red light.
The vehicle went through the light, speeding away as the officer put on his lights to pull him over, according to the criminal complaint.
Officers began to chase Howard's vehicle, which police say reached a speed of 90 mph. Howard then crossed the median into oncoming traffic before turning onto Bausman Street.
Police say the nearly 5.5 miles-long chase eventually ended in Beltzhoover. Officers were able to block Howard in at the intersection of Boggston and Taft Avenues. They ordered him out of the vehicle and took him into custody.
The criminal complaint reports that officers found Howard's son in a car seat in the back passenger side. Police also said smoke started pouring from the vehicle's engine.
The baby was checked out by paramedics and handed over to his mother.
Police say Howard admitted to officers he had been drinking. With a blood alcohol content of 0.82 percent, police say he was intoxicated.
Howard is currently being held in Allegheny County Jail. His bond has been set at $20,000.
