On September 26^th, the Quarryville Borough Police Department was participating in Operation Nighthawk which is a DUI enforcement detail sponsored and coordinated by the Pennsylvania State Police. At 2339 hours, Officers Beighley and Haun observed a red Jeep Cherokee with faulty vehicle equipment being driven by an adult male. Police positioned their marked police vehicle behind the Jeep.  The vehicle was traveling east on 372 located on East State Street at Groff Road.  Officers observed the driver swerving the vehicle across the yellow lines and back over across the white line numerous times.  Officers attempted to initiate a vehicle stop at which time the vehicle failed to yield to the police emergency lights and siren.  The driver of the Jeep drove at speeds that were in excess to the posted speed limit.  The driver was observed throwing small packs of an unknown substance out of the driver's window multiple times during the initial stages of the vehicle pursuit.  

Officer Burns was in a separate Quarryville Borough Police vehicle and joined to support the stopping of the vehicle.  At one point the vehicle slowed to a stop and it appeared that he was either going to comply by stopping or exit the vehicle and run on foot.  Officer Burns pulled along the left side of the vehicle while Officers Beighley and Haun were still behind the vehicle.  The driver observed Officer Burns pulling up next to him and deliberately swerved his vehicle into the right side of the police vehicle in an attempt to elude arrest which caused substantial damage to the police vehicle.  Both police vehicles continued to pursue the vehicle and ultimately crossed into Maryland. The driver failed to stop at all red lights and stop signs during incident.  

 The Rising Sun Maryland Police Department took over as the lead pursuit vehicles and numerous Maryland State Police vehicles assisted with the incident.   The offender drove through multiple pasture and corn fields as well as private property. At one point the driver drove through a locked cattle fence gate allowing the livestock to escape.  The driver struck a Rising Sun MD Police vehicle causing moderate damage to that vehicle.  The suspect vehicle turned into a no outlet cul-de-sac and continued straight through into private residential yards and ultimately crashed into a tree. 

The driver exited the vehicle and began to run from the scene.  After a brief foot pursuit the subject was taken into custody without further incident.  It was discovered that the driver had a criminal drug warrant out of Lancaster County, and was operating his vehicle on a suspended driver's license. He was in possession of marijuana, and had an open container of alcohol in the vehicle.  He was also found to be on probation from a prior conviction.  Rising Sun PD had the vehicle impounded and the driver was taken to their police station on multiple felony charges. He was held for arraignment at the Cecil County Maryland Detention Center.

The driver was identified as James Benton Coe Jr. from Essex Maryland. He is facing Pennsylvania charges of Aggravated Assault (Felony 1st degree), Fleeing and Attempting to Elude Police (Felony 3^rd degree), Recklessly Endangering Another Person (Misdemeanor 2^nd degree) and numerous summary traffic and vehicle offenses.  

Anyone with information about this incident, is asked to contact the Quarryville Borough Police Department at 717-786-3121 or Lancaster Crime Stoppers at 800-322-1913, or you can anonymously Text a Tip to Crime Stoppers by sending a Text message to 8474111.  Callers may remain anonymous and do not have to give their names.

All persons charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.