WEST MIDDLESEX

Man who led police on chase bolts from hospital, remains loose

The Youngstown man who led Neshannock Township police on a high-speed chase into West Middlesex bolted from a Pittsburgh hospital Thursday and was on the loose this morning, said Neshannock Police Superintendent Philip S. Carlo.

Carlo said police did not accompany Frederick D. Sims, 33, to Mercy Hospital, Pittsburgh, and planned to pick him up once he had been treated, Carlo said.

Sims left before he had been officially released, a hospital spokeswoman said. He was listed in fair condition in the emergency room, she said.

Carlo said Sims was not badly injured and might have been exaggerating his injuries to plan an escape. He had been treated at St. Francis Hospital, New Castle, but was still complaining of pain, so authorities decided to send him to Mercy, Carlo said.

"He probably knew what he was doing," Carlo said. "He probably had this all worked out."

Sims is not considered dangerous, he said.

Neshannock police were called at 2:40 a.m. Thursday with a report of a burglary in progress. The Buena Vista Way homeowner watched Sims leave the house and drive toward state Route 18, police said.

Police said they spotted the car and pursued it north on Route 18. Sims ran three red lights and sped up to 80 mph, Carlo said.

In West Middlesex, Sims failed to make a curve and his car hit a utility pole, police said.

Sims ran and was arrested about a block away, police said.

The car was stolen from Youngstown and Sims was wanted on a warrant from Lawrence County Domestic Relations for failing to make payments, police said.

A section of Route 18 was closed while utility companies restored electric, telephone and cable service. The road was opened at about 12:30 p.m.

Sims was charged by Neshannock police with theft, receiving stolen property, reckless endangerment, drunken driving, fleeing police, littering, driving at an unsafe speed, reckless driving, careless driving, running red lights and going out of the lane, police said.

Southwest Mercer County Regional Police Chief Joseph Timko said he didn’t believe charges would be filed by his department.