A police chase that began last week in east Reading ended when the car, later found to be carrying a 10-pound bag of crystal methamphetamine, entered a backyard abutting the Neversink Mountain Preserve, investigators said in court papers.
The driver, Joe R. Jenkins, 54, Philadelphia, abandoned the car, leaving its driver’s side door open, on the property of a residence at South 27th and Fairview streets in Mount Penn, police said.
Officer Dylan Humlhanz got out of his Reading police vehicle and chased the suspect into the woods. Jenkins was taken into custody after the officer deployed a Taser. Details of the chase and apprehension were not included in a release Wednesday from Reading police announcing the arrest and large drug seizure.
The meth had an estimated street value of $227,000, officials said.
Jenkins was committed to Berks County Jail in lieu of $100,000 bail to await a hearing following his Jan. 8 arraignment before District Judge Carissa Johnson.
Jenkins is charged with possessing and intending to deliver meth, fleeing and attempting to elude police, evading arrest on foot and numerous traffic offenses.
According to the probable cause affidavit:
Humlhanz was on regular patrol Jan. 7 at about 7:30 p.m. While on Cotton Street, he saw a Honda Accord turn east onto Cotton from South 15th Street. He used the in-car computer to check the registration and learned it had expired at the end of November.
The officer turned on his emergency lights and sirens, but instead of stopping, the Honda increased speed as it traveled east, running the stop sign at South 18th Street and then 19th Street, where it turned right.
The pursuit continued up 19th to Fairview Street at the foot of the mountain. Running stops signs along the way, the car turned on Fairview on the gravel path, part of the St. Lawrence Trail.
Jenkins tried to head north, down the slope, but his path was blocked by woods. The car slid to a stop in the backyard of a home about 10 feet from the tree line.
Jenkins jumped out and ran but barely made it into the woods when he was apprehended.
After other officers arrived, Humlhanz went to check for contraband in the car. He didn’t need to wait for a search warrant because the vehicle was abandoned on private property.
On the front passenger seat was a large grocery bag filled with a white crystalline substance that the officer recognized as crystal meth.
The drugs were confiscated and placed into evidence. Jenkins was searched and found to be carrying about $1,500 in cash.
In its announcement of the arrest, the city police department said the massive drug haul demonstrates the awareness and dedication of officers who work every day to combat the flow of drugs into the community.