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A Hagerstown man accused of speeding more than 100 mph on Interstate 70 admitted that he smoked crack cocaine before driving, police said.
During the nearly 19-mile-long chase through Frederick and Washington counties on Monday morning, the suspect's car struck Maryland State Police vehicles multiple times on local roads, according to Washington County District Court records.
The man — William Emile Frazier, 56, of 902 Hamilton Blvd., Hagerstown — told state police he fled because he didn't want to go to jail; he is now facing more serious charges, including second-degree assault, according to court records and Sgt. S. Hudacko.
The chase began on westbound Interstate 70 near the Myersville, Md., exit when an automobile was clocked going about 110 mph. The nearly 19-mile pursuit ended at the intersection of Massey Boulevard and Railway Lane in Hagerstown.
Neither state police nor the suspect were injured.
Frazier also was charged with resisting arrest, failure to obey a reasonable and lawful order, and malicious destruction of property valued at $1,000 or more, according to court records. The 17 traffic citations filed Monday include driving while impaired, negligent driving, reckless driving, attempting to elude police, and driving on a revoked license.
He also was cited with going 101 mph in a 70 mph zone on westbound I-70 near the exit for U.S. 40 to Hagerstown.
Frazier was being held without bond at the Washington County Detention Center.
The chase began at 12:26 a.m. Monday after a trooper from the commercial vehicle enforcement division saw a 1999 silver Infiniti I-30 going about 110 mph. It was driving erratically on westbound I-70 near the Myersville exit for Md. 17, according to a state police news release and Hudacko.
When the trooper activated his emergency lights and sirens to stop the Infiniti, it continued west into Washington County, the release states.
When Frazier was later asked why he ran, he said he didn't want to go to jail, Hudacko said.
Frazier didn't have any warrants out, but was driving with a license that had been suspended and revoked since the late 1990s, Hudacko said.
Two Washington County troopers joined the pursuit, with the Frederick County trooper staying in the area, according to court documents and Hudacko.
Trooper First Class Bennett also tried to stop the car, which was going 90 mph, but the car didn't stop and sped up to 101 mph, court records state.
The car took northbound Interstate 81, going about 65 mph, Hudacko said.
Shortly after getting on eastbound Halfway Boulevard, Frazier lost control of the car and it struck a curb. It spun around and faced west on Halfway Boulevard, according to Hudacko and court records.
The troopers positioned their vehicles around the car, but Frazier drove directly at Bennett's vehicle and struck the rear passenger side, court records state.
Hudacko said the damage was cosmetic and the airbag didn't deploy.
The car continued west on Halfway Boulevard with police in pursuit. Frazier turned north on Hopewell Road, entered the Wantz Distributors driveway and stopped in a grassy area. Bennett got out of his patrol vehicle and ordered the driver to exit, but the car got back on Hopewell Road and headed back toward Halfway Boulevard, court records state.
With Frazier driving slowly, police attempted a rolling roadblock, but Frazier turned left onto Massey Boulevard.
The Infiniti continued to slow as he approached Railway Lane and was forced to stop with two troopers trying to box the car in.
The car came directly at the police vehicles, hitting both vehicles before stopping against the front driver's side of Bennett's patrol vehicle, court records state.
The driver initially refused to exit and was physically removed. When Frazier refused to place his hands behind his back and be arrested, police used "hand muscling techniques" to "assist him to the ground," court records state.
During the pursuit, the Infiniti was swerving, court records state.
Frazier was arrested at 12:41 a.m., so the chase last about 15 minutes. Traffic was light and the weather was clear, Hudacko said.
Frazier's eyes appeared bloodshot and glassy and he had trouble maintaining his balance. He admitted drinking alcohol earlier in the day and smoking crack cocaine before driving, according to court records.
"He also stated, when asked, that he did not think he should have been driving his vehicle," court records state.
Frazier was taken to Meritus Medical Center for his blood to be drawn to determine what was in his system.
After running the Infiniti's tags, state police asked Hagerstown Police to go to possible addresses where Frazier might be heading.
Hudacko referred to Frazier as a "frequent flier," meaning state police had dealt with him in the past.
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