From staff reports
A trooper with Butler state police was injured during a vehicle pursuit through the City of Butler Sunday morning.
Police said troopers Casey Fuller and Matthew Stimac were on patrol when they observed a silver Chevy pick-up truck fail to stop on North Chestnut and New Castle streets while driving north at 2:05 a.m.
The troopers initiated a traffic stop on West Brady Street, police said. Fuller made contact with the driver, Nicholas Massella, 23, of Butler, and detected a strong smell of alcohol emitting from the vehicle, according to police.
A pursuit ensued in which Massella led police down several streets, police said. At one point in the pursuit, Massella stopped on East Brady Street and four unwilling passengers exited the vehicle, police said.
Police said Massella fled as the passengers exited the vehicle, nearly hitting them.
A precision immobilization technique (PIT) by troopers was successful as the pursuit moved onto Evans Road, but police said Massella accelerated his vehicle and deliberately drove his truck into the driver side of the patrol unit carrying Fuller and Stimac.
Police said Massella then fled the scene and was not located until 5:33 a.m. when he was discovered passed out behind the wheel of his truck facing westbound in the right-hand lane of Route 528 in Franklin Township.
Damage to the patrol unit has been estimated at $25,000 or more, police said.
Throughout the duration of the chase, Massella committed 29 summary traffic violations, according to police.