Continuances Filed In Car Chase Case
A continuance has been filed in the case of a Sinclairville woman who still faces four felony charges after a police chase that started in New York and then crossed the Pennsylvania state line.
Klein has pleaded not guilty to four counts of aggravated assault, two counts of simple assault, three counts of recklessly endangering another person, obstructing the administration of law, two counts of resisting arrest, three counts of corruption of minors and two counts of disorderly conduct. She was to appear in plea court last week before Judge Gregory Hammond, but a continuance was filed. The next scheduled appearance in the case is a conference in early June.
State Police at Warren said in an affidavit of probable cause that they were dispatched to the area of Route 62 “to assist Chautauqua County Sheriff’s office with stopping a gray Subaru Forester” after the driver, Nathan A. Klein, had allegedly “assaulted a Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Deputy.”
Multiple troopers encountered the vehicle in the area of Walmart in North Warren and attempted to stop the vehicle, which, according to the affidavit, “continued into the parking lot area at low speeds and failed to stop,” driving towards Dollar General and then towards Taco Bell.
Troopers “attempted blocking it in but the vehicle drove over the median” and then back north on Market Street.
Police then attempted what’s called a “PIT maneuver,” making contact with the rear of the vehicle “to safely terminate the dispute” but that was not successful and the pursuit continued to the area near the Conewango Valley Country Club.
There, police attempted to get in front of the vehicle to cause a “rolling roadblock.” While police were attempting the pass, “it swerved into” a patrol car “causing the vehicle to violently crash.”
Speeds over 90 miles per hour were allegedly observed during the phase of the chase.
Troopers say that Nathan Klein was found in the driver’s seat of the vehicle and allegedly “actively resisted complying with instructions.” Police then tased Klein and he was taken into custody without further incident.
Police also sought to open the passenger door and, when they did, they were allegedly attacked “with a wooden sword” by a woman identified as Rebekah F. Klein. Police claim she also attempted to kick officers and required a taser to be taken into custody.
The criminal complaint states that there were three children in the vehicle during the incident.
The affidavit alleges that Nathan Klein refused both a blood sample and evaluation by a drug recognition expert.
An officer with the Conewango Police provided additional details in the affidavit.
“I observed (Klein) constantly moving his legs shaking, he would not stop talking even when no other person was around, including reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to an empty room.”
The officer observed Klein appear to “hallucinate about being a holy prophet and that law enforcement couldn’t have his ‘royal blood.'”
A continuance was also filed in two dockets involving Cody S. Phinney. One docket involved charges of aggravated assault – attempts to cause serious bodily injury or causes injury with extreme indifference, a class 1 felony, simple assault and harassment – subjecting another to physical contact for incidents that allegedly happened Dec. 10 in the Warren County Jail.
He was charged Dec. 19 by Warren city police on another docket involving Phinney in which he was charged with dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, two counts of possession with intent to deliver, two counts of possession of a controlled substance, two counts of possessing an instrument of crime with intent and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Phinney is also facing a third set of charges after a second alleged assault in the Warren County Jail. He was charged with simple assault, disorderly conduct engaged in fighting and harassment after an alleged incident in the Warren County Jail on April 13.
The case of Robert A. Pepus of Garrettsville, Ohio, faces charges of statutory sexual assault 11 years or older, a class 1 felony, and corruption of minors, defendant age 18 or above, a class 3 felony. Police allege Pepus had sex with a 14-year-old. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges. State Troopers said in the department’s affidavit of probable cause that troopers were conducting a security check of the Corry Area Intermediate School in Columbus Township, Warren County, and saw a white car parked in the baseball field parking lot. Troopers saw a person in the rear seat and, when troopers approached the vehicle, allegedly saw Pepus get out of the car with no pants on.
Continuances were also filed in two dockets involving Christopher C. Nelson. The first includes charges of theft of services and criminal mischief while the second is a single charge of theft by unlawful taking.
A bench warrant was filed for William S. Wilson on two dockets. The first docket includes charges of two counts of DUI and three traffic offenses while the second docket includes two counts of DUI and four traffic offenses.