Police searching for man who nearly hit officer with car during Kiski Township traffic stop

Authorities are searching for a man who police said nearly hit an officer with a car as he sped away from a traffic stop in Kiski Township over the weekend.

Police said Jacob Matthew Hoover, 26, of no known address, led the officer on a high-speed chase through Armstrong and Westmoreland counties. The officer lost sight of him during the pursuit, and a warrant was issued for Hoover’s arrest on Tuesday, according to online court records.

The officer said he pulled over a car driven by Hoover shortly after 2 a.m. Saturday near Route 56 and South Summit Drive because the car’s license plate lights were out.

The officer said Hoover appeared to be extremely nervous, according to a criminal complaint.

Hoover told the officer he and a female passenger were coming from a friend’s house in Indiana, Pa. The car was registered in the name of the woman, who told the officer they were going to a Latrobe hotel because they had been evicted, the complaint said. The officer ran their information through a criminal database and found that Hoover’s license was suspended.

When the officer asked Hoover about the status of his license, Hoover refused to answer the officer’s questions, the complaint said.

The woman gave the officer consent to search the car, but Hoover ignored the officer’s orders to turn off the car and get out of the vehicle and ultimately drove off, nearly striking the officer with the car and almost running over one of his feet, the complaint said.

The officer said he pursued Hoover west along Route 56 into Apollo and over the Oklahoma-Apollo Bridge into Westmoreland County, losing sight of him near Naser Foods in Oklahoma borough. Washington Township police were called to assist, but were unable to locate the car.

The complaint didn’t detail exactly how fast Hoover was going, but the officer said it was a “high rate of speed.”

Hoover is charged with fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer and escape, both misdemeanors, and summary traffic violations, according to online court records.

Anyone with information on Hoover’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Kiski Township Police Department at 724-478-3357.