NORWICH – A man wanted on a warrant for violating his probation by allegedly fleeing across state lines, was located Friday by police and led officers on a hour-long high-speed chase through Chenango and Otsego Counties.
A previous version of this story reported the suspect being wanted on a warrant for second degree burglary, a violent felony, based on information from the Chenango County Sheriff's Office.
On Monday Chenango County Assistant Public Defender Zachary Wentworth said the suspect, 28-year-old Tanner Leone, was wanted on a warrant for violating his probation. The Norwich City Court also reported a warrant for Leone for petit larceny.
According to Wentworth, Leone was originally charged with misdemeanor criminal mischief and second degree burglary, a violent felony, in New Berlin Town Court. Wentworth said Leone accepted a plea-deal and pleaded guilty to only fourth degree criminal mischief and was placed on probation.
He said the information about the warrant may have been entered into a computer system incorrectly, but the warrant itself was for violating probation.
The warrant was issued after Leone allegedly violated his probation by fleeing New York State.
On Friday the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office and New York State Police launched a carefully coordinated pursuit of the fleeing man, Leone, with aid from Otsego Sheriff’s Office, NY Conservation Officers, and Sherburne and Norwich Police Departments.
Chenango County Sheriff Ernest R. Cutting Jr. said no police or members of the public suffered injury.
The chase ended in the city of Norwich with the suspect speeding through traffic and cutting across parking lots at high speeds. According to Cutting the chase ended when the driver of the fleeing vehicle sped down a one-way street, South Mitchell Street, and struck a tree. Leone allegedly then fled the vehicle, with police pursuing him on foot. He was apprehended on Mechanic Street by Norwich officers near the Golden Age Apartment parking lot.
Two police vehicles were damaged during the pursuit after being hit by a red 2014 Nissan. driven by the suspect, Officials said one police vehicle had minor scrapes and another had been hit in the rear, damaging the bumper.
The sheriff said the incident began at about 11:10 a.m., in Sherburne when a sheriff’s deputy recognized the driver.
The high-speed chase then followed in excess of 75-miles-per-hour said police. The chase began in Sherburne and went through the New Berlin area before entering Otsego County and then returning back through the New Berlin area and into the Town and City of Norwich.
The pursuit ended at just past noon and was a collaborative response with about a dozen police vehicles.
Patrol Sgt. Dustin Smietana who was at the scene and involved in the chase said, “This was a dynamic incident to coordinate– to avoid endangering to the public and police.”
He said the suspect’s reckless actions, such as striking police vehicles, driving at high speeds through densely populated areas during a busy time of day and being already wanted on a warrant, forced police into a dedicated pursuit. He said the suspect, “presented a great risk to the public.”
“Effective and continuous communication between officers was very important,” said Smietana.
When asked if the new legal reforms passed by New York State at the beginning of the year, were making responding to incidents like this harder he said, ”I don’t know, but we are not going to lower our standard of policing and serving the public. Some things are beyond our control.”
Other officers at the scene however noted that if the suspect was not already wanted on a prior warrant, he would likely be released with just an appearance ticket under the new bail reform laws.

(This story was updated after publication to reflect new information)