Chester County man arrested on carjacking charges

NORRISTOWN » A Chester County man is awaiting arraignment on multiple charges after he allegedly highjacked a car in Upper Merion, assaulted Norristown police officers, including a K9, and damaged several vehicles during a police chase through Norristown.

Jacob E. Reck was arrested and charged with Robbery of a Motor Vehicle and related offenses after an incident that began in Upper Merion Tuesday night and ended in Norristown.

Around 6:20 p.m., Upper Merion Police Department received multiple calls regarding a vehicle accident and disturbance on North Henderson Road at the intersection of Prince Frederick Street in the King of Prussia section of the township, according to police.

At about the same time another call was received from the parking lot of the Midas Auto Repair, 172 East Dekalb Pike in King of Prussia. The subsequent investigation revealed that a man had assaulted the operator of a tow truck at the Midas and attempted to steal the truck. He ended up stealing a 2010 Ford Explorer that was being unloaded from the tow truck instead.

The man then drove southbound on DeKalb Pike and then northbound on North Henderson Road. At the intersection of Prince Frederick Street traffic was stopped for a red light. The driver failed to stop in time and the car he was driving rearended the vehicles that were stopped and waiting for the light to turn green. He then veered off the road and hit a tree across from the Kinder Care at 211 North Henderson.

One of the vehicles that was struck was a 2010 Toyota. The driver was delivering food for a pizza restaurant and pulled into the driveway of the Kinder Care to wait for the police. As he was waiting Reck allegedly approached him. then assaulted him before pulling him from the Toyota. He then drove off in the Toyota and from the scene toward DeKalb Pike.

According to the report, a few moments later the Toyota crossed the Dannehower Bridge into Norristown. Several Norristown police officers quickly located the vehicle driving at a high rate of speed on Astor Street and noticed that it had fresh damage. The vehicle failed to stop for police and drove through a parking lot and onto the train tracks and then onto Elm Street. In the course of doing so, it struck two additional vehicles before coming to a stop.

Reck allegedly jumped from the Toyota and attempted to steal a third vehicle before he was taken into custody by the Norristown police. While being taken into custody Reck allegedly assaulted several officers and the police K-9. Reck was transported to Paoli Hospital for minor injuries sustained during the vehicle accidents and his arrest. One Norristown police officer and the driver of the Toyota were also taken to the hospital for minor injuries.