Oil City Man Who Allegedly Escaped from Corrections Center Leads Police on Vehicle, Foot Chase

| September 30, 2015

Police LightsSUGARCREEK BOROUGH, Pa. (EYT) – An Oil City man is facing a laundry list of charges after he allegedly fled from police.

According to a criminal complaint, around 1:38 p.m. on September 28, Trooper Morrison, of Franklin-based State Police, observed a vehicle traveling along State Route 8 in inclement weather without headlights and followed it through a construction zone. As the vehicle left that area, it allegedly began to speed above the posted limit, prompting police to initiate their emergency lights and siren.

The vehicle allegedly failed to stop and gained speed up to about 62 miles per hour, entered the Giant Eagle and Kmart parking area off State Route 8, and accelerated at a high rate of speed diagonally through the parking lot, the complaint states.

The driver, later identified as Eric Matthew Lawson, 24, of Oil City, was allegedly unable to negotiate the curve at the end of the parking lot near the exit and crashed the vehicle through the guard rail, then exited the drivers’ area and ran in front of the police patrol car, slipped, and fell onto the concrete, the complaint indicates.

Trooper Morrison ordered Lawson to stop but he allegedly ran across the parking lot, jumped the guard rail, and ran down an embankment into the woods, with Trooper Morrison pursuing and losing sight of him but able to hear him, catching sight of him again about 60 yards away near the intersection of Front Street and State Route 8, the complaint continues.

Trooper Morrison ran within 5 to 10 yards of Lawson and commanded him to stop, but he allegedly refused, running across Front Street and nearly being struck by a vehicle. When Trooper Morrison ordered him to stop again, he allegedly complied.

Lawson allegedly told Trooper Morrison that he had escaped from the Sharon Community Corrections Center a couple of weeks ago, and a police records check allegedly showed his driver’s privileges were under suspension.

According to online court documents, Lawson was arraigned at 3:30 p.m. on September 28 before District Judge Andrew Fish.

He faces the following charges:

  • Fleeing or attempting to flee or elude an officer
  • Resisting arrest or other law enforcement – Misdemeanor 2
  • Driving without a license – Summary
  • Driving While Operator Privilege Suspended Or Revoked- Summary
  • Exceeding the maximum speed limit by 17 miles per hour – Summary
  • Reckless driving – Summary
  • Periods for required lighted lamps – Summary

Unable to post monetary bail of $75,000.00, he was placed in the Venango County Jail.

A preliminary hearing has been set for 8:30 a.m. on October 14 in Venango County Central Court.


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