CORTLANDVILLE – New York State Police attempting to pull over a reportedly stolen car were led on a high-speed chase through Cortland, Chenango and Madison counties Saturday.
At around 9 a.m., the Ithaca Police Department issued a multi-county radio alert in search of a stolen vehicle that was wanted in connection with a gas station drive-off in the Town of Richford, Tioga County.
About an hour later, at 10:09 a.m. in Cortlandville, Cortland County, a trooper on routine traffic patrol clocked the suspect’s vehicle, a 2005 Chevrolet Malibu, on his radar traveling at about 92 mph on Interstate 81.
After activating his emergency lights and siren, the officer attempted to pull the vehicle over but the driver allegedly began speeding away from the patrol at high speeds, prompting a three-county pursuit.
Troopers said a Cortland County Sheriff’s Deputy managed to maneuver himself ahead of the fleeing vehicle and attempted to use a Stop Stick, a device that uses road spikes to puncture tires, but was unable to successfully deploy the unit.
Troopers also said the deputy was forced to dive into a ditch to avoid being struck by the Malibu as it sped by.
The chase began on the interstate and traveled south onto other roads before the deputy tried to halt it on state Route 41 in Solon with the road spikes.
The pursuit then continued into the Town of Lincklaen in Chenango County and then to Madison before ending back up in Cortland County.
State Police said pursuing officers slowed down while negotiating a sharp curve on state Route 26 in the Town of Taylor, Cortland County, and lost temporary sight of the defendant’s vehicle as it pulled ahead of police and briefly vanished from view.
Moments later, police caught up to the vehicle after it had lost control during the high speed turn and spun out of control into a ditch.
The driver and two passengers were taken into custody immediately following the crash, without incident. The vehicle’s operator, 24-year-old Chad Mayhew of 115 Mack St., Groton, and passengers Jonathon Babcock, 20 of 211 S. Corn St. Ithaca, and Samantha Greene, 20 of 224 Linden Ave. Ithaca, were all charged with third degree criminal possession of stolen property, a Class D felony.
State police said Mayhew was also wanted for violation of parole and additional faces charges of third degree unlawful fleeing a police officer and numerous vehicle and traffic law offenses. The Cortland County Sheriff's Department announced it also filed a single count of first degree reckless endangerment against Mayhew for swerving the stolen vehicle and nearly striking one of their deputies.
All three defendants were all transported to Wilson Memorial Hospital. They were treated and later released from the hospital and then remanded to the Cortland County Correctional Facility pending their arraignment in court.
Police said the pursuit lasted 58 minutes and spanned nearly 75 miles of roadway, with a top speed of approximately 100 miles per hour.
State Police were assisted during the pursuit by the Cortland County Sheriff’s Office, Chenango County Sheriff’s Office, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, the Cortland Police Department and Onondaga County helicopter, Air-1.