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Man in high-speed chase before crashing into state police cruiser in Fowler jailed on 7 charges without bail

Posted 3/25/11

FOWLER – The man who led state police on a two-county high speed chase Thursday before crashing into a state police vehicle is in jail without bail facing seven charges, including criminal …

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Man in high-speed chase before crashing into state police cruiser in Fowler jailed on 7 charges without bail

Posted

FOWLER – The man who led state police on a two-county high speed chase Thursday before crashing into a state police vehicle is in jail without bail facing seven charges, including criminal possession of a weapon.

Kriss A. Whitney, 44, of Diana, a town in Lewis County, forced a sheriff’s vehicle off the road and nearly struck a state police trooper during the chase before crashing into the rear of state police car shortly before 12:08 p.m., police said.

Police arrested Whitney for criminal possession of a weapon second degree, criminal possession of stolen property third degree, unlawfully fleeing a police officer third degree, resisting arrest, criminal mischief third degree, two counts of reckless endangerment second degree, and aggravated unlicensed operator third degree. He was also charged with multiple vehicle and traffic violations, police said.

The incident began after Whitney stole a 2001 Chevrolet pick-up truck, which contained a loaded handgun, from a residence in the Town of Diana.

A state forest ranger observed Whitney at about 11:31 a.m. in Lewis County, and began to pursue him. State police, the St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department, and Village of Gouverneur police joined in pursuing Whitney’s vehicle when it entered St. Lawrence County.

Whitney refused to pull over and continued to travel at high rates of speed through the town of Edwards, where he forced an oncoming sheriff’s vehicle off the road, police said. Continuing at an unsafe speed into the town of Fowler, Whitney nearly struck a trooper who had deployed a tire deflation device, police said.

Whitney’s vehicle came to a halt when all four tires were deflated and he drove into the rear of a State Police vehicle which sustained damage.

Upon leaving his vehicle, Whitney resisted arrest by refusing to comply with orders from law enforcement personnel to place his hands behind his back, police said. He was subsequently taken into custody and transported to state police headquarters in Gouverneur for processing.

Whitney was arraigned in the Town of Fowler Court by Town Justice Paul Lamson, where he was held in contempt of court, and was sent the St. Lawrence County Jail, where he is being held without bail.

Whitney is scheduled to return to the Town of Fowler Court on March 29 at 3 pm.

Additional charges against Whitney by Lowville based State Police are pending.