A 42-year-old Elkton man wanted on felony warrants in three states was arrested Wednesday after leading Maryland State Police on a hours-long pursuit that stretched from Cecil County into Pennsylvania and back into Harford County, crashing into two police cruisers along the way. Justin Burchett was taken into custody after the stolen Ford Focus he was driving became disabled outside a Darlington gas station, its airbags deployed, following a chain of encounters that also left a state trooper hospitalized and an uninvolved minivan driver uninjured.
A Stolen Focus and a Failed Traffic Stop
According to Daily Voice, a trooper spotted the stolen silver 2016 Ford Focus on Route 213 in Cecil County shortly before 2 p.m. Wednesday. Investigators said the driver had already been speeding, running red lights, and passing other vehicles on the shoulder — including a school bus — before the trooper attempted a stop on Route 213 in Elkton. Instead of pulling over, the driver took off north into Pennsylvania, according to the same account.
Maryland State Police initiated a pursuit that crossed the state line, and Pennsylvania State Police were notified and sent troopers to help intercept the vehicle, per CBS News Baltimore. A Maryland trooper was authorized to continue the chase into Pennsylvania on Blue Ball Road, the station reported.
Cruiser Collides With Minivan in Oxford, Pennsylvania
The pursuit took a dangerous turn near Route 10 and Route 896 in Oxford, Pennsylvania, where a Maryland State Police cruiser collided with an uninvolved Honda minivan. The minivan driver was not injured, the same source's report notes, but the trooper was flown to a hospital by Maryland State Police Aviation Command, treated, and later released.
Vehicle Found Twice, Rams Two Cruisers
Investigators later found the Ford Focus backed into a parking space in the 1400 block of Pulaski Highway in Havre de Grace at approximately 4:20 p.m., the report states. When troopers approached, Burchett allegedly accelerated, struck an MSP cruiser, and fled the scene again.
He didn't get far. The car was located a second time at approximately 5:45 p.m. at a gas station in the 1200 block of Main Street in Darlington. Troopers tried to make contact, but Burchett allegedly attempted to leave the parking lot and struck the front of another Maryland State Police vehicle in the process, per the same account. That collision finally disabled the Focus, and its airbags deployed — allowing first responders to pull Burchett and a female passenger from the wreck.
Outstanding Warrants and Expected Charges
Burchett was already wanted on multiple felony warrants across Maryland, Delaware and Pennsylvania, including a first-degree assault warrant tied to a Pennsylvania State Police investigation, according to the report. A subsequent search of the Focus turned up a small bag containing what investigators believe was a controlled dangerous substance.
Burchett was taken to an area hospital and remained under police guard until his release, according to CBS News Baltimore, which reported he is now being held at the Harford County Interagency Processing Center. The female passenger was released from police custody and is not facing charges at this time, per the same report. Maryland State Police said additional criminal and traffic charges are expected as the investigation continues.
