Wanted man arrested after crashing vehicle while fleeing from police in Jeannette

JEANNETTE, Pa. — A wanted man is in custody after police say he crashed a vehicle while fleeing from officers in Westmoreland County.

According to the Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office, police saw Matthew Murphy, 40, getting into a vehicle in the area of South 15th Street in Jeannette on May 3. He had active arrest warrants.

Police said Murphy refused to give them a credible name or identification when they approached him.

He ended up pushing off of officers, climbing into the driver’s seat of the vehicle and driving away as an officer was still partially inside, authorities say.

The DA said that the officer narrowly escaped being dragged. Murphy crashed the vehicle not far from the initial scene, blew out both tires and ran the vehicle into temporary fencing.

He was found under a porch and arrested.

Officers said they found a pipe used for smoking crack on him.

Murphy is being held at the Westmoreland County Prison without bail.

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