New Kensington man gets up to 23 months in jail for fleeing from police, endangering child
A New Kensington man who police said led officers on a chase with a child in the car was sentenced Tuesday to more than eight months to 23 months in the Westmoreland County jail.
Benjamin Alexander Ploski, 35, pleaded guilty Tuesday to aggravated assault, fleeing from police, child endangerment and related offenses under an agreement with prosecutors.
Police said in court papers that officers from New Kensington and Allegheny Township were searching for him March 18 on an unrelated warrant for his arrest. He was spotted on Route 56 through license plate readers at a traffic signal near Wildlife Lodge Road.
He sped away from a traffic stop and tried to crash into two police vehicles, according to court papers.
Police said Ploski pulled up to his house and ran inside with a child who was in the car.
He was apprehended in a bedroom closet.
After his jail term, Ploski must spend three years on probation. He can be paroled to an inpatient treatment program once a bed is available, according to a sentencing order.
Renatta Signorini is a TribLive reporter covering breaking news, crime, courts and Jeannette. She has been working at the Trib since 2005. She can be reached at rsignorini@triblive.com.
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