Police: Area Man Charged With Intentionally Ramming Vehicle, Fleeing Officers

Jacob Deemer

Jacob Deemer

Published May 12, 2022 4:33 am
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EAST BRADY BOROUGH, Pa. (EYT) — An East Brady man is facing a laundry list of charges after intentionally ramming into a woman’s vehicle and then fleeing police.

According to court documents, the New Bethlehem Borough Police Department on Wednesday, May 11, filed criminal charges against 50-year-old Brian Eugene Beabout in Magisterial District Judge Jeffrey C. Miller’s office.

According to a criminal complaint, New Bethlehem Police Officers were dispatched on Monday, May 2, around 8:48 p.m. to the Unimart located along Kelly’s Way, in East Brady, Clarion County, to meet with the victim of a hit-and-run.

While en route, officers were advised that the suspect vehicle was a white Dodge Ram with a truck cap with the tailgate down and ladders protruding out of the bed. The Dodge Ram is known to police to belong to Brian Beabout, the complaint states.

New Bethlehem Borough Police requested 9-1-1 to send Pennsylvania State Police to assist. Chief Malnofsky stated over the radio that it was Beabout’s vehicle, and it was near the local bank. Police pulled into the local bank parking lot and positioned the patrol vehicle so it could pull out onto Kelly’s Way and follow Beabout. Once Beabout passed Kelly’s Way, police pulled out and followed him, the complaint indicates.

Beabout eventually went into a driveway at the end of Grant Street leading to a single-wide home. Police pulled into the end of the driveway and watched a short, skinny white male wearing an orange hoodie and blue jeans exit the truck and go inside the rear entrance of the house, making two trips inside. Police could view the subject look in the direction of the patrol unit while he was making the first trip. After the second trip, the male approached the marked police vehicle, the complaint notes.

When the male got close to the police vehicle, they could identify him from a previous encounter and a J-net picture. He approached the police unit at a hurried pace, and police announced on the radio to all responding units that Beabout was approaching. Police could not clearly view Beabout’s hands, so an officer turned on the marked unit’s emergency lights and exited the vehicle. The officer ordered Beabout to stop advancing and to show his hands. Police informed Beabout that they were there for an investigation, and he was instructed to turn around. Once he was facing away from police, he fled on foot, the complaint states.

Beabout then ran northbound in front of the house, turned westbound, and ducked behind a Chevy truck. Police then viewed him fleeing in the river’s direction. He ran into a “knotweed” brush pile and crawled over it. Police approached with caution because they were unsure if Beabout was getting a stick to use as a weapon. Police could view Beabout’s orange hoodie on the ground on the other side of the pile. Chief Malnofski announced on the radio that he was below the officer and could see Beabout. Once Beabout made it through the brush pile, Chief Malnofsky yelled at Beabout to stop, and Beabout turned his direction and ran toward the officer, the complaint indicates.

Once Beabout was surrounded, he laid down on the ground and was taken into custody.

He was searched incident to arrest, and officers found 3.33 ounces of marijuana in his right front jeans pocket. He also had an odor of intoxicating beverage emitting from his breath. He had slurred speech and glassy, bloodshot eyes. Police then administered a preliminary breath test to Beabout, who blew a 0.091% BAC. Police administered multiple sobriety field tests, and Beabout was determined to be under the influence of alcohol or a combination of drugs and alcohol, according to the complaint.

Police then transported Beabout to Clarion Hospital Emergency Room where he refused a chemical testing of his blood. He also refused to sign the DL-26B “without reading it” and asked for reading glasses. Reading glasses were not available at the time, and police then transported Beabout back to the station, and he was read the Miranda warning, the complaint states.

Police also interviewed the victim regarding the hit-and-run incident.

The victim stated that she was followed through town by a white Dodge Ram described above. At the intersection of Purdum Street and Second Street, Beabout drove his motor vehicle into the rear end of the victim’s vehicle and pushed it forward while her vehicle’s brake was “still on.” The victim then “gassed it” and went to the Unimart and called 9-1-1, according to the complaint.

It was noted that Beabout can be viewed on camera pulling into the Unimart and positioning his vehicle behind the victim’s vehicle. Beabout’s window is down in the video and appears to be yelling at the victim.

Beabout faces the following charges:

– Flight to Avoid Apprehension/Trial/Punishment, Misdemeanor 2
– Recklessly Endangering Another Person, Misdemeanor 2 (two counts)
– Resist Arrest/Other Law Enforcement, Misdemeanor 2
– Disorderly Conduct Hazardous/Physical Offense, Misdemeanor 3 (two counts)
– Accident Involving Damage Attended Vehicle/Prop, Misdemeanor 3
– DUI: General Impairment/Incapable of Driving Safely — First Offense, Misdemeanor
– Possession of Marijuana, Misdemeanor
– Use/Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Misdemeanor
– Criminal Mischief — Tamper With Property, Summary
– Follow Too Closely, Summary
– Harassment — Follow in Public Place, Summary (two counts)

He is currently awaiting a preliminary hearing.

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