(Updated at 9:04 a.m. Nov. 15) CAERNARVON – The man wanted after a short chase on Interstate 176 in Berks County has reportedly been captured. According to a report on WFMZ-TV, Harold Augustus Davis Jr., 56, of Philadelphia, was taken into custody around 7:30 a.m. Friday.
Details of his arrest were not available. Davis was wanted after he fled a traffic stop when the officer who initiated the stop discovered there were several warrants out for Davis’ arrest. The chase and manhunt caused temporary closure of I-176 Thursday.
(Updated at 10:12 p.m.) CAERNARVON – Police are still searching for a Philadelphia man who attempted to flee from police in a tractor-trailer after a traffic stop revealed he was wanted for numerous criminal offenses.
According to a press release issued by state police Thursday night, Harold Augustus Davis Jr., 56, of Lansdowne Avenue in Philadelphia, is wanted on charges of aggravated assault, recklessly endangering another person, resisting arrest and simple assault for the short chase during which a state trooper was hanging off the truck Davis was driving.
The incident began around 10:09 a.m. Thursday when a Caernarvon Township police officer stopped Davis’ truck on Interstate 176 in the township. A search of records revealed Davis was wanted for several offenses including robbery in Florida, Trooper David Boehm with the state police barracks in Reading told WFMZ-TV (http://bit.ly/1fExtHf).
The officer who initially stopped Davis called for assistance upon learning of the suspect’s criminal record, police said. An officer and Police Chief Paul Stolz of the Caernarvon Police Department and Trooper Dalton of the Bowmansville barracks of the state police responded and Davis was ordered from the truck, police said. He responded to the officers’ demands by rolling up his truck cab window, police said.
Dalton broke the window with his baton, according to the press release.
When Davis continued to refuse to come out of the vehicle, Stolz used a Taser on him with no effect, police said.
Davis then began driving the truck forward, while the state trooper was standing on the step up to the cab, police said. Officer Tranovich, of the Caernarvon Police Department, had to jump out of the way of the moving truck, police said in the press release.
Officer Logic, who conducted the initial traffic stop of Davis’ truck, attempted to stop the tractor-trailer by pulling his car in front of it twice, police said, but the tractor-trailer struck the police car both times and continued on, with Trooper Dalton still holding onto the side of the cab.
In an effort to disable the truck, Dalton, who was still holding onto the truck, and Logic began shooting at the tires and engine of the tractor-trailer, respectively, police said. The truck slowed and veered to the right of the highway where it hit a guide rail, police said. Davis jumped from the truck’s cab and fled into the woods on the east side of the highway near Chestnut Hill Road in Robeson, police said in the press release.
Police, state troopers and Federal Marshals converged on the scene and conducted a manhunt of the woods along the highway but had not located Davis as of Thursday evening.
The press release issued Thursday night said the manhunt had been called off and authorities were working on leads as to Davis’ whereabouts; however, WFMZ-TV was reporting that Davis had been in touch with police and allegedly told officials that he was still in the woods along the highway and was now lost.
Police are asking the public if they see Davis or know of his whereabouts to contact them at 610-655-6246.
EARLIER VERSION OF THIS STORY
Police are looking for a truck driver who took police on a chase on 176 in Caernarvon, Berks County, Thursday morning.
A photo of Harold Davis was released by state police at the Reading barracks on Thursday afternoon. Police are asking the public to call if they see Davis. He allegedly attempted to flee from police in a tractor-trailer, but crashed and fled the truck on foot, according to reports on WFMZ-TV’s website (http://bit.ly/1fExtHf).
If anyone knows the whereabouts of Davis or see him, they should call the Reading barracks of the state police at 610-655-6246. Davis is considered armed and dangerous.
