Arnold man guilty of drug charges after high-speed chase with toddler in car sentenced to 20 years in prison

An Arnold man who was found guilty on drug charges after leading police on a high-speed chase and crashing with a toddler in his car has been sentenced by a federal judge.

U.S. District Judge W. Scott Hardy on Tuesday sentenced Kevin Watson, 33, to 20 years in prison.

He was found guilty in November of one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 100 grams or more of heroin, according to court records.

Investigators said Watson had nearly 15,000 stamp bags of the drugs labeled “Blue Magic”in his car when he was arrested April 26, 2019.

The drugs had a street value of about $100,000.

On the night he was taken into custody, police only found what they described as a large amount of marijuana and evidence of drug dealing in the vehicle.

The Lincoln Continental that Watson was driving was impounded by state police after the wreck and taken to the Kittanning station.

The fentanyl and heroin were discovered when the impounded car was searched April 29, police said.

The drugs were packaged into “bricks,” or groups of 50 stamp bags, that were separated into a half-dozen 6-gallon plastic bags found in the trunk of the car, according to prosecutors.

The chase began near Exit 10 of Route 28 at RIDC Park in O’Hara after Watson was pulled over because the tint on the vehicle’s windows was too dark, authorities said.

Police say Watson, who was on state parole for a previous conviction, became combative. He refused to comply with police before driving off at a high speed.

Police said there was a toddler strapped into a car seat in the back seat.

Watson’s car reached speeds of 115 mph before getting off Route 28 at the Tarentum exit, police said.

He lost control of the car after failing to negotiate a right turn onto West Seventh Avenue. He crossed three lanes of oncoming traffic before hitting a utility pole.

After crashing, Watson fled on foot, leaving the child behind, police said.

Two troopers gave chase and caught up to Watson, using a Taser to subdue him, they said.

He was airlifted by medical helicopter to a Pittsburgh hospital for treatment.

The 4-year-old boy was shaken up but not injured, police said. He was taken to Allegheny Valley Hospital in Harrison to be examined. Investigators did not say what relationship Watson had to the boy.