Driver who led police on chase arrested
Police have caught the man who led them on a chase through three counties with a woman and two children in the vehicle. John Michael Soto, 24, of Douglass - ville, has been ar - rested after he abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot, leaving his two children and their mother behind.
Pennsylvania State Police said Soto was taken into custody around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 28, without incident at a residence in Union Township.
Soto was being sought after an incident that began around 11:40 p.m. Tuesday. Robeson Township police officers had attempted tomake a routine traffic stop of a Nissan sedan driven by Soto at Route 724 just west of
Jackson Street, police said in a press release Wednesday. As soon as an officer left his police cruiser, how- ever, Soto sped off in the Nissan, according to police.
Police then pursued Soto in a chase that spanned multiple municipalities in Berks, Chester and Montgomery counties.
At one point during the chase, the officer who initi- ated the pursuit attempted to box in the Nissan when Soto pulled into a driveway in Union Township. Soto then rammed his car into the police vehicle and sped off. The pursuit eventually ended when Soto drove into a lawn in Colebrookdale Township.
Soto fled on foot leaving his 4-year-old daughter, 2-year-old son and their mother, who had been passengers in the vehicle during the pursuit.
Police have charged Soto with aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of children, recklessly endangering another person, fleeing or attempting to elude an officer, driving suspended and several other traffic offenses.
Soto was arraigned Thursday before District Judge Paul J. Hadzick and is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Jan. 3 before District Judge David E. Glass. He was unable to post the set $100,000 bail and is being held at Berks County Prison.