High speeds through 3 counties
By Laura Hand
Saturday, November 07, 2009 at 12:02 p.m.
Read more: Local, Crime
UPDATE: A Groton man and two men from Ithaca were arrested today after a high speed chase that began in the Town of Cortlandville and ended in the Town of Taylor. A State Trooper clocked the 2005 Chevrolet Malibu on radar at 92 MPH while it was traveling north bound on I-81 in the Town of Cortlandville. The vehicle was reported stolen by the Ithaca Police Department and was also wanted in connection with a gas larceny from the Town of Richford, Tioga County.
The Trooper activated his emergency lights and siren and the vehicle failed to comply. The vehicle exited the interstate and continued south onto ST-41, and other state and local roads in southern Cortland County. A Cortland County Sheriff’s Deputy attempted using a stop stick on RT-41 in the Town of Solon., but it was unsuccessful. The Deputy was forced to dive into a ditch to avoid being struck by the vehicle.
The pursuit continued into Chenango and Madison Counties and then back into Cortland County. Pursuing vehicles slowed as the suspect vehicle entered a sharp turn on ST-26 in the Town of Taylor, Cortland County, NY. That is where the suspect vehicle ran off the roadway and struck a ditch.
The three occupants of the vehicle were taken into custody without incident. The vehicle operator, 24 year old Chad Mayhew, and passengers 20 year old Jonathon Babcock, and Samantha Greene, were all taken to Wilson Memorial Hospital. They were treated and released. They are currently being held awaiting arraignment.
All three are being charged with Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the Third Degree. Mayhew was also wanted for violation of Parole. He is additionally being charged with Unlawful Fleeing a Police Officer 3rd degree and numerous Vehicle and Traffic Law offenses. Mayhew will also be charged by the Cortland County Sheriff’s Department with one count of Reckless Endangerment in the First Degree for swerving the speeding vehicle and nearly striking the Sheriff’s Deputy.
The pursuit lasted 58 minutes and covered approximately 75 miles with a top speed of approximately one hundred miles per hour.
State Police, other law enforcers and ambulances ended up just north of the Town of Taylor, on Route 26 after a high-speed pursuit of a car that troopers tell Action News was stolen. The chase went through Cortland and Madison Counties before ending in Chenango County, about 11:30 Saturday morning. Witnesses say the road was closed down by all the emergency vehicles. Troopers say there were no serious injuries, and further details are expected as they sort out details of the incident
