52°
Martin Luther Cudjo was spotted by PSP in a tan 1988 Ford Econoline Mobile Home with no registration and no working rear lights in the 6600 block of Molly Pitcher Highway/US-11 around 11:30 p.m., according to the affidavit.
When he wouldn't stop, state troopers pulled up next to him with lights and their siren on— just as the 58-year-old lit a blunt, Trooper Conner Tremaine said. He and his partner Trooper Joshua Dunkle began making verbal commands and motioning him to pull over, but as swiftly as he began move the mobile home towards the fog line, he moved back onto the road way and the chase was on, the police explained.
The Hagerstown man slowed his speed briefly before turning right into the parking lot of the Cebco gas station in Marion. Cudjo then pulled out of the station onto Main Street, then right onto, Swamp Fox, then back in a circle to Molly Pitcher Highway South— where Troopers Bradley Lay and Mitchell Merritts were prepared with a rolling roadblock, but as he came to a stop in the 5300 block of the highway and troopers hopped out of their marked patrol vehicles— he accelerated— nearly striking Dunkle, according to the affidavit.
He picked up speed, getting clocked at 70 in a 55 MPH zone by Tremaine, as Merritts and Lay raced ahead to set up spike strips in the 7300 block of the highway, which successful deflated the RV's driver's side front and rear tires, Tremaine explained in the affidavit.
But the Econoline continued to plod along as Greencastle police were called and set up a second set of spike strips— successfully deflating the passenger's side tires— yet the home continued down the roadway anyway, according to the affidavit.
Cudjo headed towards Williamsport Pike after rolling through a red light at Walter Avenue. At one point, he moved into the left lane in order to stop police from overtaking him and to avoid another rolling roadblock, but offices had a third rolling roadblock ready and they were able to stop the RV, as explained in the affidavit.
Cudjo refused to get out of his vehicle and as he was forcibly removed he continued to resist, police said.
He was charged with fleeing and eluding, as well as numerous DUI and traffic related offenses, according to his court docket.
He later admitted to the police he fled because he was drunk and knew he had an open container of beer in his car. Cudjo also confessed that he lit a blunt while police were beside him. He was then transported to Chambersburg Hospital for a blood draw but refused and was taken to the Franklin County Jail, where he was later released on $25,000, court records show.
His preliminary hearing is set before Magisterial District Judge Glenn Kenneth Manns on May 2 at 10:30 a.m., according to his court docket.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Gettysburg and receive free news updates.
