ALLENTOWN, Pa. — State police say a motorist fired upon by a trooper during a traffic stop Friday night was not struck by gunfire.
But the driver, identified as 47-year-old Paris Bartlett, of Allentown, is facing a slew of charges.
- A Pennsylvania State Police trooper fired two rounds during a traffic stop in Allentown
- State police initially said the motorist was shot, but Monday night they said the driver was not hit by gunfire
- He is identified as 47-year-old Paris Bartlett, of Allentown, and faces several charges
State police public information officer Trooper Nathan Branosky said Bartlett faces 24 counts, including five felonies.
The incident occurred about 5:40 p.m. near South Third and West Union streets, according to state police.
Bartlett allegedly used the car he operated, a Ford Fusion, to charge at a trooper as the trooper approached with his firearm drawn during a traffic stop.
The car came within a few inches of the trooper, then swerved over the curb and onto a sidewalk, according to state police.
The trooper — state police have not released his identity — fired two shots, state police said.
Bartlett fled in the car and drove the wrong way into oncoming traffic on the Hamilton Street Bridge, state police said.
Police chased Bartlett as he allegedly sped through several stop signs onto South Carlisle Street. He struck two cars, including a marked police vehicle, and came to a stop in the 500 block, state police said.
Bartlett was removed from the wreckage and taken by ambulance to St. Luke's University Hospital in Fountain Hill for treatment of unspecified injuries.
On Saturday, state police charged him with four felony counts of aggravated assault and a felony charge of fleeing or attempting to elude police.
Bail was set at $200,000 and Bartlett was confined to the Lehigh County Jail.
State police said the incident remains under investigation.
The Pennsylvania State Police Troop M Major Case Team is investigating.
Assisting are Allentown police, the Lehigh County District Attorney's Office, the Troop M Forensic Services Unit and Troop M Collision Analysis Reconstruction Unit.
Police said they stopped the vehicle after the operator failed to signal turns three times. They said it happened as city police and troopers "were jointly conducting high visibility proactive traffic enforcement throughout the city," according to a state police statement.
The involved trooper had an Allentown police officer as his passenger, according to court records.
