A Schuylkill County man faces a litany of charges after Hamburg police said he stalked his ex-girlfriend, intentionally struck her vehicle with his vehicle and later led an officer on a high-speed chase in Tilden Township.
Christopher L. Saylor, 36, of Auburn was charged with fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, accidents involving damage to an attended vehicle, reckless driving, stalking and related offenses following the incidents Friday morning. He was committed to Berks County Jail in lieu of $35,000 bail following arraignment Friday night before District Judge Brian K. Strand in Reading Central Court.
According to court records:
Shortly before 10 a.m. Friday, Hamburg police were dispatched to Bickel Drive for a report of a man trying to enter parked vehicles. A caller reported the suspect got into a Volkswagen Jetta and provided its license plate number. A registration check showed the vehicle belonged to Saylor, whom Officer Kevin Mickle recognized from previous encounters.
As part of the investigation, Mickle went to the Hamburg residence of Saylor’s ex-girlfriend. She was not home, but her mother told the officer there had been incidents earlier that morning involving Saylor and her daughter.
While speaking with the woman, Mickle heard radio traffic indicating Tilden Township police had been dispatched to the Walmart Supercenter at the Tilden Ridge shopping center for a reported domestic disturbance in progress.
As Mickle drove toward the shopping center, dispatchers relayed information that the ex-girlfriend reported Saylor had threatened her and was armed with knives. The officer later learned Saylor had reportedly cut his wrists and had left the area in a vehicle.
As Mickle entered the shopping center parking lot, he spotted a Volkswagen Jetta whose driver suddenly moved into a line of parked vehicles, appearing to conceal the car to avoid detection.
Just before 10:30 a.m., Mickle drove through the lot looking for the vehicle when the Volkswagen suddenly sped away.
Mickle activated his emergency lights and siren, but the Volkswagen accelerated and turned onto Cabela Drive before entering the Cabela’s parking lot, with the officer in pursuit.
The Volkswagen made a U-turn directly in front of Mickle’s patrol vehicle, allowing the officer to identify the driver as Saylor.
The pursuit continued downhill toward Mountain Avenue, where police said Saylor ran a red light. He failed to stop at four stop signs and crossed Hex Highway, also known as old Route 22, where he nearly collided with a pickup truck towing a trailer.
Mickle eventually ended the pursuit after losing sight of the Volkswagen. Police estimated Saylor was driving more than 70 mph on roads posted at 25 and 35 mph while crossing into opposing lanes of traffic.
After the chase, Mickle and Tilden Township Detective Frank Cataldi interviewed the victim at her residence about her earlier encounter with Saylor.
The woman told investigators that around 9 a.m. Saylor followed her to a store parking lot on State Street, where he intentionally rear-ended her vehicle before driving away.
She said he followed her to a bank on South Fourth Street. While she stood behind her vehicle in an alley, Saylor drove so close that he was able to reach out and touch the hood of her car.
Saylor stopped, accelerated toward her at full throttle, forcing her to step onto a sidewalk to avoid being hit. His vehicle struck her car a second time during the encounter.
Fearing for her safety, the woman drove to Walmart, about two miles away. She told investigators that she remained inside the store long enough that she believed she had evaded Saylor.
When she went outside, however, she found Saylor had parked behind her vehicle, blocking it. During the confrontation that followed, she called 911 and Saylor fled.
Several hours later, officers from the Hamburg and Tilden Township police departments and state police converged on a residence on Mill Road in Upper Bern Township, where they believed Saylor was staying.
Authorities approached the home on foot and took Saylor into custody without incident while he was working on a vehicle.
Where to find help
Call 9-1-1 if you or someone you know are in immediate danger.
To seek the help of an advocate or to contact Safe Berks, call the 24-hour hotline, 844-789-SAFE (7233) or text SAFE BERKS to 20121.
Safe Berks provides free and confidential services for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault 24 hours a day. All services are available in English and Spanish, and translation will be used for any other language needed.