Know When to Quit
Pennsylvania State Troopers in the area of Towanda received a report of an erratic driver weaving down the road after having been involved in a hit and run. A trooper quickly spotted the car, but the driver refused to pull over, they say.
Several other troopers joined the chase, and a trooper deployed spike strips, which blew out the black Pontiac's four tires. The driver kept going. The troopers forced the car into a ditch, finally stopping it, but the driver refused to get out. Troopers removed him forcefully.
In the struggle, one of the troopers suffered a broken hand. The driver continued to fight, and had to be restrained by paramedics to be transported for treatment.
At the hospital, they say, the driver was released from the restraints, and started fighting medical staff. He was handcuffed, treated, and released into police custody for booking.
On the way to the county jail, the driver allegedly tried to tackle and kick a trooper, and was subdued with pepper spray and a baton -- and taken back to the hospital for treatment of the resulting injuries.
Robert Charles Leone, 31, was charged with driving while under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance, aggravated assault, escape, reckless endangering another person, resisting arrest, fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, disorderly conduct, failure to stop at the scene of an accident, harassment, failure to provide the proper information following an accident, and failure to notify the authorities after an accident had occurred.
After hearing the story, a judge set Leone's bail at $250,000.
"Under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance"? We're shocked (shocked!) to hear it.
Source: Towanda Daily Review
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Most Recent Comments
Posted by Patricia, Dearborn Heights, MI on June 9, 2010:
OK, I'll bite! If those charges were dropped it wouldn't surprise me because even if Police have what would be considered an iron clad case, the Prosecutor and even Judge are a whole different matter. Cases are thrown out all the time for various reasons.
The State's Attorney also may have interfered because he feared a lawsuit because Leone was roughed up a bit and it couldn't be proven what, where or who was responsible for each of his injuries. Most criminals have more rights going through the system than the average citizen going through a law-abiding life, which would be a good thing if the criminals didn't take advantage or go overboard.
I do, however, can only hope that you are wrong that all the charges were dropped. I still back the Police and Emergency workers over the idiot who caused so much uproar any day!
Posted by Audrey, Shelbyville KY on June 9, 2010:
Dee, I wasn't one of the ones who said he "deserved" his injuries, but no, my opinion would not change if the charges related to hit and run or intoxication were dropped. Dropping the charges, by the way, in no way implies that he didn't actually commit the crimes - that often has to do with procedural issues. Even if here were *acquitted* of those crimes (which is not the same thing), there really is not excuse for the danger he put the general public, the police, and medical responders in by leading police on a chase which could easily have killed multiple people and assaulting police officers and EMTs. Your question (attempted argument?) is a red herring.
Posted by dee, long island on June 10, 2010:
I stumbled across this site becauce someone told me about Leone and I was looking for any information I could find about what happened. I was told that it was determined that Leone's car was not the one involved in the hit and run. His blood test confirmed there was no alcohol or illegal drugs in his system. One of the reports comfirm a low speed pursuit~ he wasn't speeding. So that would mean his first offense was not stopping when the police put their lights on and then not getting out of the car when they told him to. I was also told the broken hand one of the officers suffered was the result of him punching Leone in the eye. Statements taken from the officers at the scene are conflicting to the point of negating some of the facts (that Leone was combative). I'm just looking for the truth and trying to gain some understanding about what happened.