Man accused of slamming vehicle into two cop cars

WEST CHESTER » There is a reason Matthew Ryan Kelly was trying to run from borough police.

Not only was the ex-convict wanted on a probation viola- tions warrant from Delaware County related to the armed robbery he committed in 2009, but he guessed that officers might also be looking for him for a sucker punch he allegedly threw at another man inside a West Chester bar in July.

So when an officer tried to detain him in connection with a complaint from an ex- girlfriend Monday afternoon, Kelly attempted to flee in his 2009 Volvo while the officer was hanging from the driver’s side door trying to stop him. Within minutes, he had collided with two borough patrol cars, damaging both.

“He didn’t run into them,” said Police Chief Scott Bohn Wednesday while describing the incident. them.”

Kelly, 28, of West Whiteland, had to be subdued with pepper spray and a Taser, according to the criminal complaint filed against him.

He was charged with fleeing or attempting to elude, aggravated assault, recklessly endangering another person, resisting arrest, flight to avoid apprehension, and criminal mischief stemming from the attempt to drive away from the scene. He was also charged with possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia after police searched his car and found a baggie with suspected marijuana in it and a metal grinder.

He was arraigned Tuesday by Magisterial District Judge Marian Thayer Vito, who ordered him held on $70,000 cash bail for the flight charge. “He rammed She also arraigned him on charges of simple assault and harassment by physical contact in regard to the incident at the bar. He is awaiting a Sept. 8 preliminary hearing in Chester County Prison.

According to an arrest affidavit filed by West Chester Officer Reinaldo Melendez, the incident began around 2:20 p.m. when he was called to an address in the 600 block of South Matlack Street for a report of a domestic dispute involving Kelly and his ex-girlfriend. The woman told police that she had seen Kelly drive by her workplace earlier, and did not feel safe because he had assaulted her previously.

When Melendez attempted to question Kelly and asked for his ID, he allegedly gave him a false name and date of birth. The woman, however, told the officer Kelly’s name. As she did, Kelly began to walk away, ignoring Melendez’s orders to stop. He climbed into his car and turned on the engine, and sped away as Melendez tried to open the driver’s door and stop the car.

According to the complaint, Kelly drove north on Maple Alley as Melendez instructed back-up patrol cars to stop him. As one officer pursued Kelly through the alley, he rammed his car into two other units that were trying to block him, as well as a parked car. As officers approached, Kelly continued to try to flee by backing away from the scene, even though his sedan was caught in the bumper of one of the patrol cars.

He had to be physically removed from his Volvo by several officers after he refused to get out of the car on his own.