A high-speed pursuit involving a U-Haul truck ended in charges for a man accused of kidnapping and assaulting a woman in Butler County. WPXI reported that 53-year-old Kenneth Clarke has been charged with kidnapping, aggravated assault, strangulation, and terroristic threats following a series of events that left the community on edge.
According to police, the incident began on Saturday on McGeary Street in Butler City, where Clarke allegedly became physically violent with his ex-girlfriend. Fleeing for her life, the victim was seen on dramatic footage running into Butler Tobacco after leaping from the passenger side of the moving U-Haul. Previously, WTAE captured the pivotal moment of her escape on video.
The woman, whose identity has not been revealed, told investigators that Clarke had hit her in the face, strangled her, and dragged her out of the residence by her hair before forcing her into the U-Haul. During the drive, it was at the intersection of West Cunningham Street and Pillow Street where Clarke reportedly threatened to kill her, prompting her desperate escape. Police allege Clarke attempted to stab her with scissors as she opened the passenger door, striking her buttocks and cutting her pants.
After the woman's escape, Clarke followed her into the store but then left, leading police on a chase that ended in Cranberry Township. Employing stop sticks, an officer was able to halt the U-Haul truck around Peters Road, with the driver being apprehended near Myoma Road, while the dramatic chase streaming through the area around Franklin Road, around 2:40 p.m. as reported by Cranberry Township police. Clarke was later taken into custody and is currently held at the Butler County Jail on a $250,000 bond.
