JOHNSTOWN, NY : Johnstown car chase ends in crash on Saturday, December 3rd, 2016
State police and local police agencies apprehended a man reported to be Mike Urbanski at about 3 p.m. Saturday in front of Whitey’s, 204 N. Perry St., after a high-speed chase by state police in Mayfield led into the city.
Urbanski appeared to be bleeding from his head and was transported to an undisclosed local hospital, according to Johnstown Police Lt. Dave Gilbo. Charges are pending.
The driver came into Johnstown on Main Street and traveled on Perry, Townsend and Comrie streets before pulling into a driveway at 221 N. Perry St., but refused to exit the Geo Tracker, the lieutenant said.
While police were seeking non-lethal ways to get the suspect from the car, he drove down the driveway around the backyard and out the other side of the building, but not without ramming a state police vehicle head-on, Gilbo said.
Urbanski reportedly headed down Perry Street with a Johnstown cruiser running parallel to the car “in slow pursuit — 5 to 10 mph” — when Urbanski swerved into the police vehicle. Police then pulled Urbanski from the car. Urbanski’s vehicle also knocked off a fire hydrant, but no water spurted out, Gilbo said.The state police pursuit began after they spotted the vehicle, based on a be-on-the-lookout-for notice from New York State Police in Princetown, who said the driver was being sought for alleged menacing and mental health issues, Gilbo said.
Gilbo said no weapon was found in the vehicle and no shots were fired but state police were testing for alcohol or drugs. He said he was unaware of any warrants.
Gilbo said one Johnstown officer sustained a minor finger cut and another, whose car was hit by the suspect, was determined by EMTs on the scene to be uninjured. He believes a trooper may have been injured.
Gloversville police and county sheriff were also present. Sheriff Richard Giardino commended the officers for “exercising restraint” in capturing Urbanski.
Troopers in Mayfield, Fonda and Princetown would not comment on the case because an active investigation is still under way.
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Johnstown car chase ends in crash