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The crash began with a pursuit on US 30 East in West Whiteland Township at 2:46 p.m. on Feb. 3, as detailed in the PSP release.
PSP Trooper Craig A. Fry, 30 of Coatesville, was pursuing Syrron N. Hovington, 20 of Downingtown's 2023 black Kia Forte as he failed to yield to an emergency vehicle using lights and sirens, according to the release.
Hovington also failed to stop for Trooper Fry, instead exiting the highway onto Route 100/Pottstown Pike, and stopping for a traffic light, PSP Trooper from Lancaster barracks Nelson Renno explained in the release as the investigator of the crash.
That's when Fry, who was speeding to catch Hovington, failed to brake and slammed into the rear of the Forte — propelling it into a commercial tractor-trailer, Trooper Renno explained.
The tractor-trailer, a 2022 Volvo VNL760 driven by a Florida man (his details were missing in the report, Daily Voice has reached out to PSP for clarification), "jackknife[d] in the Southbound lanes just South of the intersection [...before coming] to rest," as stated in the release.
But the force of the impact gave Hovington's vehicle enough momentum to move approximately 100 feet — striking a stationary Mercedes-Benz sedan driven by 40-year-old Veronica Hoof of Harrisburg, who waiting at a light to travel south on Rt. 100, according to the release.
Hoof was the only person uninjured in the crash. Trooper Fry, the Florida trucker, Hovington, and his 21-year-old passenger Mickayla A. Sweigart of Parkesburg, were all taken to Paoli Hospital with suspected minor injuries, as explained in the release.
All four vehicles were towed from the scene, Renno said.
Trooper Fry was not charged with speeding (formally known as driving at a safe speed under Pennsylvania law) the release noted.
Court records show Hovington was charged with 29 offenses: including felonies for fleeing, illegally possessing a firearm, receiving stolen property, aggravated assault by vehicle, and drug charges; in addition to misdemeanors for resisting arrest, driving under the influence of both drugs and alcohol, driving without a license, recklessly endangering another person; as well as traffic-related offenses, which included not wearing a seatbelt.
Hovington was serving one year of probation for misdemeanor trespassing at the time of the crash and had previously served a year of probation for misdemeanor harassment, his dockets from 2023 and 2021 show.
The day after the crash he was released from the hospital and taken into custody, according to an updated docket. He has been held in the Chester County Prison on $35,000 in bail. His formal arraignment has been scheduled for 9:15 a.m. on March 29.
The medical status of the other people involved in the crash was not immediately available. Check back here for possible updates.
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