COVNINGTON TWP. — A Moscow man fled a state police trooper attempting to stop his vehicle on Tuesday, reaching speeds of up to 100 mph and endangering other motorists, according to a criminal complaint.
Ayden Mederrick, 19, was speeding down Route 435 when Trooper Keith Herbert spotted him driving in an excessively loud vehicle with heavily tinted windows, according to the complaint.
Although Herbert activated his lights and sirens, Mederrick refused to stop and instead led the trooper on a chase from Covington Twp. through Spring Brook Twp., reaching speeds up to 100 mph in a 25 mph zone, police said.
According to the criminal complaint:
With Herbert in pursuit with lights and sirens activated, Mederrick turned right onto Langan Road, without using his turn signal and driving erratically.
With troopers in tow, he sped into the oncoming lane and then turned left onto Sanko Road, increasing his speed.
He then turned left onto Winship Road, failing to stop for a posted sign at its intersection with Route 307, crossing onto Bailor Road.
Herbert noted Mederrick was driving so fast that, at one point, he lost sight of him as he turned right onto Richland Road and then onto Route 502.
Herbert soon caught up with Mederrick, who ultimately stopped on Route 502.
When asked why he fled police, Mederrick said he thought he was being followed by a Covington Twp. police officer, who he believed didn’t have the authority to stop him.
He told law enforcement officers he lives in Thailand part time, where he is accustomed to driving erratically because police there do not care about driving behavior as long as drivers wear a helmet.
Officers found a marijuana grinder, with residue, in Mederrick’s vehicle.
Mederrick is charged with fleeing police officers, possession of marijuana, possession of paraphernalia, reckless driving, careless driving, speeding and excessively tinted windows.