New Kensington police say a man led them on an extended chase Friday night in which he allegedly drove head-on at a city police car, ending with his arrest in a drain tunnel in a wooded section of the city.
Leonard Hayden Jr., 25, of New Kensington is charged with felony fleeing and eluding, evading arrest or detention, and aggravated assault by vehicle. That’s in addition to misdemeanor resisting and DUI charges and several summary traffic offenses.
Police were dispatched to a residence on Haser Drive, part of a Westmoreland County public housing plan, just before 9 p.m. for a reported domestic dispute, according to a criminal complaint filed against Hayden. The incident was described in detail in the arrest papers written by city Patrolman Joseph Naviglia III.
When officers arrived, Hayden had allegedly fled the scene in his blue Mazda but soon returned, according to the complaint. Hayden allegedly sped toward the front of the police cruiser before veering away 50 to 75 feet before a collision would have occurred, Naviglia wrote. At that point, Naviglia was able to confirm Hayden was the driver.
Hayden then drove at speeds around 70 mph throughout Haser and Dent drives, Zaleski Court and Seventh Street Road — all curvy, residential streets — occasionally driving through yards in between and behind homes, according to the complaint.
At one point, the arrest paper said, Hayden turned around and passed the pursuing officer only to end up on Dent Drive — a dead-end street. Undeterred, Hayden drove over the hillside, into some woods and back out into an open field. Naviglia reported that Hayden still drove on, ending up behind the apartment where the alleged incident began.
From there, he allegedly fled on foot into the woods, the complaint said. A police dog tracked him down and he was chased again. Police found him in a drainage tunnel, where he was ordered out under the threat of being bitten by the police dog, the complaint said. That was nearly 90 minutes after the call came in for the domestic dispute.
But Naviglia reported Hayden suffered only “minor scrapes on his body from fleeing on foot and possibly falling in the woods.”
Police said they believe Hayden was intoxicated and his car smelled strongly of marijuana. He declined a blood draw at the police station, the complaint said.
District Judge Scott A. Fanchalsky denied bail for Hayden, who remains in Westmoreland County jail.
His preliminary hearing is set for Dec. 11 before District Judge Frank J. Pallone Jr.
