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Considerable cloudiness. Low 27F. Winds light and variable..
Considerable cloudiness. Low 27F. Winds light and variable.
Updated: January 21, 2023 @ 6:36 pm
A Derry Township man is facing charges after he reportedly led police on a high-speed chase to Kecksburg while riding a motorcycle.
According to court records, 19-year-old Brian Richard Obarto II of 1138 Murtha Way, Derry Township, was operating a green Honda motorcycle Oct. 24 at 9:13 p.m. on state Route 982 without a license plate.
Officer Jacob Cholock, a member of the Latrobe Police Department, was behind Obarto at a red light at the intersection of Route 982 and Ligonier Street.
Obarto “kept looking back” at the police vehicle before he quickly accelerated and went around another vehicle in a no passing zone traveling south on Route 982. Cholock turned on the police vehicle’s emergency lights and siren but Obarto failed to stop. 911 dispatch was notified and asked to contact the Pennsylvania State Police.
Obarto was traveling in excess of 80 mph in a 45 mph zone, according to an affidavit of probable cause filed in the case. Obarto drove across Main Street in Youngstown, passed another vehicle traveling south and continued south on Route 982.
Obarto failed to stop at a stop sign posted at the intersection of Route 982 and Schultz Road, and reportedly passed another vehicle while continuing south. Police report he was driving the motorcycle anywhere from 50 to 80 mph in a 35 mph zone. In this area, police say it appeared Obarto “pulled his cellphone from his right pocket and began to videotape himself.”
Obarto rolled through a stop sign posted at the intersection of routes 982 and 130, and passed another vehicle while turning onto Route 130 west. Police followed Obarto onto Mount Pleasant Road past the Westmoreland Fairgrounds. When approaching Brinkerton Road, a vehicle attempted to pull out and Obarto failed to yield and drove around the vehicle, going into the opposing lane of travel.
Obarto ran another stop sign at the intersection of Mount Pleasant, Hecla and Kecksburg roads, at which point Cholock “terminated the pursuit for the safety of the public and everyone involved.”
Later that night, 911 dispatch advised Cholock that the Pennsylvania State Police received a call around 9:57 p.m. that a male with a green motorcycle was attempting to hide the bike near Donegal.
Obarto was later apprehended by Pennsylvania State Police outside Dollar General off of state Route 31 in Acme.
Obarto reportedly approached a man who was standing in the Dollar General parking lot and asked him “if he had a garage because he needed a place to hide his bike,” according to court records. Obarto told the man he had just fled from police roughly 15 minutes prior to meeting in the parking lot. The man told Obarto he didn’t have a garage, then went into the store and alerted his wife to call the police.
After he was apprehended, Obarto reportedly told troopers he fled from the police in Latrobe because the motorcycle didn’t have a license plate. The bike was located along the east side of Dollar General behind some fencing. He told police he purchased the motorcycle from his cousin but never transferred the vehicle title.
Obarto was arraigned 10:30 a.m. Oct. 25 before Magisterial District Judge Tamara J. Mahady.
He is facing a third-degree felony charge of fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, and several summary offenses, including careless driving, failure to keep right, operating a vehicle without insurance or registration, improper license classification and duties at a stop sign.
Obarto is scheduled for a preliminary hearing 9:30 a.m. Nov. 7 before Mahady.
Joseph Bell can be reached at lb.josephbell@gmail.com or 724-537-3351 Ext. 28.
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